MEDPED Asia Pacific - General Information: Cholesterol

General Information: Cholesterol

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance transported in the blood by a number of carrier molecules known as lipoproteins. The two main ones are called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein).

The 'good' HDL-cholesterol removes cholesterol from the arteries and is protective in other ways.

The 'bad' LDL-cholesterol deposits cholesterol in the arteries as a fatty plaque layer inside blood vessel walls, where it can narrow or block them.

Do you have a high cholesterol level?

In adults over 18, your blood cholesterol level is considered too high if your reading is above 5.2 mmol/l (200 mg/dl).

In addition, your 'good' HDL-cholesterol should ideally be over 1.0 mmol/l (39 mg/dl) in men and 1.1 mmol/l (42 mg/dl) in women. The 'bad' LDL-cholesterol should be below 3.5 mmol/l (135 mg/dl) while triglycerides (another type of blood fat) should be below 2.0 mmol/l (177 mg/dl). These 'ideal' levels should be lower if you have had a heart attack or bypass.

Doctors worry about your high cholesterol if you also have one or more of the following risk factors for heart disease:

high blood pressure

cigarette smoking

diabetes

a family history of premature heart attack or sudden death

obesity due to excessive abdominal fat

Ask your doctor for a cholesterol measurement, including serum total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterols and triglycerides.