Facts on Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and is needed for the body to function normally. Your body makes enough cholesterol for its needs. When there is too much cholesterol in your body—because of diet and the rate at which the cholesterol is processed—it is deposited in arteries, including those of the heart, which can lead to narrowing of the arteries and heart disease.

• An estimated 106.9 million American adults have total blood cholesterol levels of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and higher, which is above desirable levels. Of these, 37.7 million have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which is considered high risk. (Statistics from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics as published by the American Heart Association, Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics — 2005 Update. Dallas, TX: AHA, 2004. http://www.americanheart.org *).

• Studies among people with heart disease have shown that lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk for dying from heart disease, having a nonfatal heart attack, and needing heart bypass surgery or angioplasty.

• Studies among people without heart disease have shown that lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk for developing heart disease, including heart attacks and deaths related to heart disease. This is true for those with high cholesterol levels and even for those with average levels.

• A lipoprotein profile can be done to measure several different kinds of cholesterol as well as triglycerides (another kind of fat found in the blood). Desirable or optimal levels for persons with or without existing heart disease are

Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL.

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol): Less than 100 mg/dL.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ("good" cholesterol): 40 mg/dL or higher.

Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL.

• The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that adults have their cholesterol levels checked at least every 5 years.