Your body needs cholesterol to function properly. But too much cholesterol - either from diet or heredity - increases your risk for coronary artery disease, which kills more men than anything else. Cholesterol is either made by your liver (80% of what your body needs) or comes from your diet (meat, fish, eggs, butter, cheese, and whole milk).

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Cholesterol is carried through the bloodstream in small packages called lipoproteins which are made up of fat on the inside and proteins on the outside. Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol throughout your body. It is important to have healthy levels of both.

HDL is the "good" cholesterol because it helps prevent the buildup of cholesterol in your arteries by picking up leftover cholesterol from the blood and carrying it back to the liver for disposal.

LDL is called the "bad" cholesterol, since it causes the cholesterol to build up on the inside of the arteries, forming plaque. Plaque build-up makes the arteries thicker, harder and less flexible-a heart attack in the making! So your LDL level is a good indicator of your risk for heart disease. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in your food help to lower the bad cholesterol levels.

Triglycerides (very low density cholesterol) is another form of fat carried in the bloodstream by low density lipoproteins Only a small amount is found in the blood; most is stored in fat tissue. Triglycerides can also increase your risk for heart disease, especially in conjunction with a high LDL level.


Controllable risk factors

• A diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol.
  
  
• Medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and hypothyroidism
  
  
• Lifestyle behaviors such as smoking and lack of exercise
  
  
• Being overweight
  
  

Uncontrollable factors

• Age and gender
  
  
• An inherited lipid disorder
  

Although some authorities recommend cholesterol screening begin at age 35 for men and 45 for women, buildup in the arteries can begin at an early age. So the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends testing every five years beginning at age 20 for both sexes.

Screening at an early age is especially important for those with a family or medical history of conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or hyper-lipidemia, or who have multiple heart disease risk factors like overweight, hypertension, or tobacco use.


Screening consists of a 9-12 hour fasting lipid profile blood test (including total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglyceride testing). The following National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines will help identify if you are at risk for coronary artery disease.

If your tests don't meet these guidelines, treatment plans include dietary changes, regular exercise, weight loss and sometimes medication.

• Total cholesterol of less than 200 (According to the American Heart Association, 20% of Americans have a total cholesterol of 240 or more, which represents a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.)
  
  
• LDL less than 100 (Basically, the higher your LDL level and the more other risk factors you have, the greater your chances of developing heart disease or having a heart attack.)
  
  
• HDL greater or equal to 60 (A level of less than 40 mg/dl low is considered a major risk factor because it increases your risk of developing heart disease.)
  
  
• Triglyceride level less than 150