You are in: Home > Stroke Information > Reduce Your Risk Of A Stroke > Control Cholesterol
Control Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance (lipid), which is essential to healthy life. It is provided partly from the food we eat, but most of it is manufactured in the liver. In some people more cholesterol is produced than the body needs. When the cholesterol level in blood is high it contributes to the fatty build-up in the lining of blood vessels called atheroma which contributes to the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Your doctor may check your cholesterol if you have other risk factors
- a family history of heart disease
- if you have high blood pressure
- evidence of stroke or heart disease
- family history of high cholesterol
- if you are diabetic
Total Cholesterol
Initially your doctor will send your blood for a total cholesterol level. If your cholesterol is found to be higher than 6 millimoles per litre (mmol/l) you may need a further blood test called a lipid profile.
However, if the person already has stroke illness or heart disease most doctors would like to see a cholesterol level of 4mmol/l or below as soon as possible.
Lipid Profile
A lipid profile gives a much more detailed breakdown of the different fats in your blood. It is taken after an overnight fast.
The 3 main fats in your blood are
- low density lipoproteins or LDL. LDL is referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’. It contributes to fatty tissue being laid down in the blood vessels. Ideally an LDL should be below 3mmol/l.
- high-density lipoproteins or HDL. HDL is referred to as ‘good cholesterol’. It helps to carry away bad cholesterol. Ideally an HDL level should be above 1.0mmol/l.
- triglycerides. These make up about 90% of the fat in your body and are needed to store energy. Your triglyceride level should be less than 1.5mmol/l.
Lowering A High Cholesterol Level
Sometimes people can lower their cholesterol level by reducing fat in their diet and increasing their physical activity. However, your doctor may prescribe tablets straightaway to lower the amount of cholesterol your body makes.
Drug Treatment
Drugs to treat high cholesterol are mainly from the ‘statin’ family and usually have to be taken for life.
Some people will need to take drugs straight away to achieve the level required, especially if there is stroke or heart disease present.
Recent research has also found that some people with heart disease or who have already had a stroke may benefit from taking these cholesterol-lowering drugs irrespective of their cholesterol level.
Reduce Fat In Your Diet
It is most effective to replace saturated with poly- and mono-unsaturated fat. This means replacing fat that comes from animals in the form of meat and dairy products, with fish and healthier oils.
Saturated fat is usually ‘solid’ when cold e.g. butter, lard, fat on meat. Unsaturated fat is ‘liquid’ at room temperature e.g. olive oil, soft cheese.
Saturated Fat Option Replace With... Hard cheese—cheddar Soft cheese—cottage cheese & cream cheese Butter Reduced fat spreads Full fat milk Semi or skimmed milk Saturated fat Unsaturated oils—rapeseed, sunflower & olive Red meat Fish—especially oily fish—mackerel, herring, sardines Crisps, cakes and biscuits Fruit & nuts Making several small changes in your daily routine gets good results
- trim all visible fat from meat before cooking
- discard any fat that comes out of food during cooking
- grill instead of fry
- avoid all pastry, which is high in fat
- eat fewer meat products such as pies, pasties, sausage rolls, hamburgers and sausages
- check labels for hidden fats in processed foods and ready-made meals
- increase your carbohydrates i.e. pasta, cereals, rice, bread—this will replace the energy that you used to get from fat, unless you want to lose some weight
Useful Contacts
Patient UK re. statins. Scroll down to 'please add your experience.' Contact Bookshop via Amazon.co.uk.
Latest News
Contact Us
Advice Line