I struggle with high cholesterol and I know I’m at risk of a heart attack or stroke if I don’t manage it correctly. It is no laughing matter. I’m taking the driver’s seat to See the Emergency in Cholesterol
— Jay Leno
IF YOU'VE HAD A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE, YOUR RISK OF HAVING ANOTHER CV EVENT IS NEARLY
CV = CARDIOVASCULAR
LDL-C, also known as bad cholesterol, is one of the most important risk factors for having a heart attack. Your risk for having a heart attack or stroke increases proportionally with higher bad cholesterol levels.
Bad cholesterol is the main cause of atherosclerosis – the formation of plaques in the arteries that can block the flow of blood, which increases your risk for major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke.
HIGH CHOLESTEROL IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF HEART ATTACK
If you’re working on lowering your risk for heart attack or stroke, taking a look at your risk factors can be a good place to start. A risk factor can be anything that has an influence on the likelihood of developing a disease or injury.
While there are many risk factors that may influence your chance of having a cardiovascular event, there are certain risk factors that are considered “modifiable,” meaning you can reduce their impact by taking action.
The INTERHEART study examined nine factors commonly associated with cardiovascular disease and their effect on the risk for having a heart attack. Of the nine factors investigated by the study, high cholesterol was most closely associated with an increased risk for heart attack.