{"id":113534,"date":"2022-09-09T15:43:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-09T19:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=113534"},"modified":"2022-09-09T15:44:44","modified_gmt":"2022-09-09T19:44:44","slug":"high-cholesterol-prevention-causes-and-how-to-cope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=113534","title":{"rendered":"High Cholesterol: Prevention, Causes, and How to Cope"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Capital Blue Cross \u2013 \u00a0THINK<\/a>\u00a0(Trusted Health Information, News, and Knowledge) is a community publication of Capital Blue Cross. Our mission is to provide education, resources, and news on the latest health and insurance issues.<\/b><\/p>\n

September is National Cholesterol Education Month. Despite increased awareness that has led to 2 out of 3 Americans having cholesterol screenings over the past five years, the plaque-like substance remains a huge problem, costing America 868,000 lives a year.<\/p>\n

Her father had a heart attack at 36, and died from another one at 51.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had thought his problems were due to lifestyle,\u201d a woman identified only as Rhiannon tells the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). \u201cHe was a smoker and didn\u2019t have the healthiest diet. Imagine my surprise when I saw my cholesterol screening results from a life insurance blood test.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite being a 30-year-old, fit, non-smoker with a healthy diet, Rhiannon\u2019s bad cholesterol was triple the normal reading for her age. For Rhiannon and tens of millions of other Americans, high cholesterol is hereditary.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s just one reason the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that adults 20 and over, regardless of fitness and lifestyle, have preventive screenings for cholesterol every four to six years. An estimated 12% of Americans, or about 94 million people, have high cholesterol: levels of 200 milligrams or more per deciliter of blood, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause high cholesterol comes without noticeable symptoms, it can lead to serious or even fatal consequences if left untreated,\u201d explains Dr. Jennifer Chambers, chief medical officer at Capital Blue Cross. \u201cToo much LDL \u2013 or what we often call \u2018bad cholesterol\u2019 \u2013 can build up and eventually block a coronary artery. This could limit blood flow to the brain and lead to a stroke, or can cause a heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

Multiple costs<\/strong><\/p>\n

High cholesterol \u2013 whether the cause is hereditary or due to poor diet or sedentary lifestyle \u2013 is among the reasons heart disease and strokes are the leading and fifth-leading causes, respectively, of death in the U.S.<\/p>\n

The condition drains dollars as well. A 2015 report funded by the AHA found that high cholesterol would cost the United States $276 billion in lost productivity by 2030.<\/p>\n

So while the CDC applauds progress in America\u2019s cholesterol fight \u2013 roughly 2 in 3 U.S. adults say they\u2019ve had a cholesterol screening in the last five years \u2013 more work clearly remains.<\/p>\n

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Keeping Things in Check<\/strong><\/p>\n

Experts across the board agree on proven approaches to help lower dangerously high cholesterol levels:<\/p>\n

Take cholesterol-lowering medications when prescribed<\/strong>. These include those in the widely used statin family. Despite their proven effectiveness, these medications are taken only by about 55% of U.S. adults who could benefit from them, the CDC says.<\/p>\n

Maintain a diet low in saturated fats.<\/strong>\u00a0Saturated, or \u201cbad,\u201d fats are the main culprits leading to high LDL.<\/p>\n

Manage your weight.<\/strong>\u00a0Excess body fat often means higher cholesterol.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t smoke.<\/strong>\u00a0The habit makes LDL \u201cstickier,\u201d and more likely to clog arteries. It also lowers HDL, or \u201cgood,\u201d cholesterol.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHigh cholesterol doesn\u2019t have to create huge health problems. Preventive screenings, prescribed medications when appropriate, a healthy diet, and proper exercise can help control\u00a0it.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dr. Jennifer Chambers, chief medical officer at Capital Blue Cross<\/p>\n

Here to help<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rhiannon\u2019s cholesterol is now under control thanks to a regimen of medication, diet, and exercise recommended by her doctors. Her story exemplifies how important it is to have health insurance that covers cholesterol screening, counseling, and treatment.<\/p>\n

Capital Blue Cross offers a variety of preventive services with no cost share to members who have standard benefit coverage. Services related to healthy cholesterol levels may include:<\/p>\n