High Cholesterol - A Risk Factor For Heart Disease

The risk factors included in this check list are:

* age (men - more than 45, women - over 55 years or post-menopausal) * hypertension * diabetes * smoking * HDL below 35 mg./dl * family history of coronary artery disease in first degree relatives (male relatives below 55 years, female relatives below 65 years) * If HDL is above 60 mg./dl , subtract one from the number of positive risk factors

The American Heart Association is also promoting a Step 1 diet - comprising less than 30% fat intake, less than 10% saturated fat, less than 300 mg./day of cholesterol - and weight control with regular physical activity as important preventive measures against heart disease.

Goals of Cholesterol Control Programs

The primary goals of the primary prevention approach are:

LDL below 160 mg./dl, if 0-1 risk factors are present

OR

LDL below 130 mg./dl, if 2 or more risk factors are present

Secondary goals are

* HDL above 35 mg./dl * Triglycerides below 200 mg./dl

Reaching the goal

The American Heart Association has also recommended a program to achieve these end points slowly and steadily.