Kewanee Hospital

Cholesterol Screening:  It’s Good for Your Heart

September 14, 2011

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, a good time to get your blood cholesterol checked and to take steps to lower it if necessary.  It is important to be aware of your cholesterol levels, as well as learning about lipid profiles, nutritional information and lifestyle choices that can help you reach your personal cholesterol goals.

Most of you have heard of cholesterol and know that there are certain levels that are desirable in order for you to be healthy.  Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and in foods.  Your body needs cholesterol to function normally – but your body makes all that it needs.  Too much cholesterol can build up in your arteries.  After a while, these deposits narrow the arteries, putting you at risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Please keep in mind the following guidelines in order for an individual to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Total cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL.  Low LDL, which is the bad (or ‘Lousy’) cholesterol, should be less than 100 mg/dL.  High HDL, the good (or ‘Happy’) cholesterol, should be 40 mg/dL or higher.  An individual’s triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dL.  These criteria will be listed on the lab results sheet you receive from your physician following your cholesterol screening.

More than 102 million American adults over age 20 have total cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL, which is above the level considered to be healthy.  More than 35 million of those people have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for heart disease.  Unfortunately, high cholesterol usually doesn’t have any symptoms so many people are unaware that their cholesterol levels are too high. 

Your family physician can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol.  In many cases, high blood pressure can be controlled through lifestyle changes.  If that is not enough, your physician can provide medication.  Preventive guidelines for cholesterol screening among young adults differ, but experts agree on the need to screen young adults who have other risk factors for coronary heart disease.  If you are obese, smoke, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease, call your physician to schedule a cholesterol screening.

For more information on cholesterol, or to schedule a cholesterol screening, call Kewanee Hospital’s Family Health Clinic at 309-852-7700.