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3 min read<\/p>\n3 min read<\/p>\n
High cholesterol<\/a> is a major risk factor for heart disease<\/a>, heart attack, and stroke. However, it can be difficult to tell if you have high cholesterol or if you are nearing dangerous levels, so knowing the signs your cholesterol is too high may allow you to stop the problem in its tracks.<\/p>\n \u201cCholesterol is a fatty substance that travels through your bloodstream,\u201d explains Tracy Paeschke, M.D.<\/a>, a preventive cardiologist at Heart Health Prevention and Wellness. \u201cYour body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells and produce hormones, but too much cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.\u201d There are two types of cholesterol, per the American Heart Association<\/a> (AHA): Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which is considered the \u201cbad\u201d kind, and high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, which is the \u201cgood\u201d kind. \u201cHigh LDL cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, or plaque, while low HDL levels reduce your body’s ability to clear cholesterol,\u201d Dr. Paeschke says. Both issues can increase your risk of cardiovascular problems.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Tracy Paeschke, M.D.<\/a>, a preventive cardiologist at Heart Health Prevention and Wellness; Kevin Shah, M.D.<\/a>, a cardiologist and program director of Heart Failure Outreach at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA.<\/p>\n Read on to discover the signs that you might need to seek action to combat high cholesterol.<\/p>\n How to tell if your cholesterol is too high<\/p>\n Experts say that the only way to know for sure that your cholesterol is too high is to get a blood test to check your levels. \u201cThere isn\u2019t a reliable physical sign, unfortunately,\u201d says Kevin Shah, M.D.<\/a>, a cardiologist and program director of Heart Failure Outreach at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. \u201cHigh cholesterol is typically silent, which is what makes it dangerous. Most people don\u2019t have symptoms until plaque buildup leads to a cardiovascular event.\u201d<\/p>\n The fact that high cholesterol is so difficult to detect is one of the reasons that the American College of Cardiology and the AHA released new guidelines<\/a> this year on the management of high cholesterol, adds Dr. Paeschke. She notes that among other recommendations, the new guidelines suggest a lipid panel for children between ages 9 and 11 and a lipid panel for adults every five years beginning at age 19. They also suggest that all adults have their lipoprotein (a) levels measured at least once. High Lp(a), which is mostly determined by genetics, is associated with a 140% higher risk of heart attack or stroke over a lifetime, per the AHA<\/a>.<\/p>\n While early high cholesterol does not cause any physical symptoms, if you\u2019ve had it for a long time without treatment, physical signs may start to appear, says Dr. Shah. \u201cSymptoms like chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or reduced exercise tolerance should prompt evaluation,\u201d he says. \u201cBut these are usually signs of more advanced disease, not early high cholesterol itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Likewise, Dr. Paeschke says that there are some genetic disorders that can cause very high cholesterol that do have some unique physical symptoms. According to the National Library of Medicine<\/a> (NLM), these include familial hypercholesterolemia, familial combined hyperlipidemia, familial hypertriglyceridemia, and familial dysbetalipoproteinemia, which can cause symptoms like yellow fatty deposits on the skin or eyelids, a white, blue, or gray ring around the iris of your eye, chest pain, calf cramps while walking, sores on the toes that don\u2019t heal, and sudden stroke-like symptoms. Per the NLM, most people with these disorders respond well to treatments such as diet changes, exercise, and medication.<\/p>\n The bottom line<\/p>\n Unless you have advanced cardiovascular disease or an inherited disorder, it\u2019s nearly impossible to tell if your cholesterol is too high without a blood test. \u201cA blood test is the only way to know for sure, which is why routine screening in people without symptoms is so important,\u201d says Dr. Shah. In the meantime, making smart choices<\/a> to improve your cholesterol and your heart health<\/a>, such as choosing the best foods to eat for better cholesterol<\/a>, maintaining a regular exercise routine, and not smoking, can go far towards keeping your cholesterol levels in a healthy range.<\/p>\n RELATED STORIES<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"3 min read High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. 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