Cholesterol Level Rules: If cholesterol increases so much in the body, then medicine has to be taken? Know when the danger will be averted just by changing lifestyle

Lucknow. Today, due to modern lifestyle, excessive mental stress and unbalanced diet, ‘High Cholesterol’ has become a very common but very serious health problem. It is called a ‘silent killer’ in medical science because even when fat accumulates in the arteries, no external symptoms are visible in the initial stages. Often people see increased cholesterol level in the report of Lipid Profile Test and start buying medicines directly from medical stores, which can be very harmful for health. According to medical experts (heart specialist), not every increased cholesterol level requires immediate medication. Let us understand directly from the doctors that what is the right time to start the medicine and when it can be done by just improving the habits.

What should be the normal level of cholesterol?

The total cholesterol level in the body of a healthy adult should be less than 200 mg/dL. Two types of cholesterol play the most important role in this:

• LDL (bad cholesterol): Its level being less than 100 mg/dL is considered ideal.

• HDL (Good Cholesterol): It protects the heart and its level should be more than 40 mg/dL in men and 50 mg/dL in women.

• Triglycerides: Its level being below 150 mg/dL is considered safe.

When are medicines (statins) needed?

According to senior cardiologists, medication is not started just by looking at the lipid profile report, but the entire ‘cardiovascular risk’ (risk of heart attack) of the patient is assessed. The medicine is mainly needed in the following situations:

• Very high level: If a person’s bad cholesterol (LDL) has reached 190 mg/dL or more, then medications have to be started without any delay.

• Pre-existing diseases: If the patient already has diabetes, high blood pressure, or has had a minor heart attack or stroke, doctors aim to bring LDL down to 70 mg/dL or lower. In such a situation, medicines are given even at the level of 100 mg/dL.

• Family History: If a parent or sibling in the family has a history of heart disease at an early age, medical therapy becomes mandatory to control high cholesterol due to genetic reasons.

When can things be resolved just by changing lifestyle?

If a person’s total cholesterol is between 200 to 239 mg/dL (borderline) and LDL levels are around 100 to 130 mg/dL, and he or she has no other risk factors for heart disease (such as smoking, obesity, or sugar), doctors may not prescribe medication right away. In such a situation, the patient is given 3 to 6 months time, in which cholesterol can be completely reversed only by improving lifestyle and diet:

• Improvement in diet: Completely eliminate trans fats, refined oils, refined flour, refined flour, fast food and excessive red meat from your diet. Instead, include fiber-rich items like oats, porridge, green vegetables, fruits, nuts (almonds, walnuts) and legumes.

• Regular physical activity: Doing brisk walking, yoga or cardio exercise for at least 30 to 45 minutes daily reduces bad cholesterol in the body and increases the level of good cholesterol (HDL) rapidly.

• Weight and Stress Control: If you are overweight, try to reduce it by at least 5 to 10 percent. Apart from this, get enough sleep and completely stay away from smoking and alcohol consumption.