Cholesterol is a substance that is found in the blood. Everyone has some.

At normal
levels, cholesterol plays a very important role in helping cells function properly. The
problem is that people will sometimes have too much cholesterol. When our choles-
terol levels rise we have a higher risk of chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, and other
health problems.
What is cholesterol?
What Causes High Cholesterol?
S MI T H S
F OOD & DRUG
Cholesterol
QUESTI ONS
ANSWERED
I N THI S
HANDOUT
What are the
Different Forms of
Cholesterol?
Why Does Cholester-
ol Matter?
What Should my
Cholesterol Levels
Be?
How can I Lower my
cholesterol?
High Cholesterol comes from two sources:
Genetics
Diet
Saturated fat and cholesterol occur in animal-based foods, including eggs,
meats, and dairy products made with milk.
Cholesterol
Up to a third of blood cholesterol is carried by
high-density lipoproteins
(HDL). This is called good
cholesterol because it helps
remove bad cholesterol, preventing it
from
building up inside the
arteries.
.
Total cholesterol
measures the combination
of LDL, HDL, and VLDL (very low
density lipoprotein) in your bloodstream.
VLDL is a precursor of LDL, the bad
cholesterol.
Most of the cholesterol in the blood is
carried by low density lipoproteins
(LDL). This is known as the bad
cholesterol because it combines
with other substances to clog
the arteries.
The body converts
excess calories, sugar,
and alcohol into
triglycerides, a type of fat
that is carried in the blood
and stored in fat cells throughout
the body.
What are the Different Kinds of Cholesterol?
P A G E 2

Cholesterol Goals
Whats the Big Deal?
You may have heard that one in every three adults has high cholesterol.
You may have friends and family that have high cholesterol that live unim-
peded lives with or with out seeking treatment. Unlike other conditions,
such as pain, high cholesterol is easy to live with and ignore. With all this
in mind you may wonder why is high cholesterol a big deal?
Answer: Extra cholesterol builds up in our arteries and over time these
deposits form plaque. Plaque narrows arteries and impedes the flow of
blood. As plaque continues to build it can completely block an artery car-
rying blood to the heart and cause a heart attack.
Simply put, cholesterol is one of the largest risk factors for heart disease,
the leading cause of death in the United States.
Cholesterol
levels are
assessed
through a
blood sample
C H O L E S T E R O L
You and your doctor should establish your personal cholesterol goals. Different
people need different goals. In general, people who do not already have heart
disease should aim for:
Total cholesterol below 200
LDL cholesterol below 130
HDL cholesterol above 60
Non-HDL cholesterol below 160
Triglycerides below 150
Keep in mind that everyone is unique and has their own body chemis-
try. Just because someone cannot meet these goals does not mean that
they are necessarily at risk of having heart attacks and strokes.
*Medical Professionals: 2013 guidelines state that there is insufficient
evidence to support specific LDL or HDL treatment goals. The use of
LDL targets was shown to lead to the underutilization of statins and
overtreatment with non-statin therapies not proven to reduce CVD.
Treatment Options
P A G E 3
An important part of treat-
ment for people with high
cholesterol is lifestyle
modifications. Lifestyle
changes should consist of
both diet and exercise.
Exercise is im-
portant for
managing cho-
lesterol levels.
Losing excess
weight can
treat your high
cholesterol by lowering
excess amounts of lipids
and other fats as well as
raising your level of
"good" HDL cholesterol.
A healthy diet
should consist of
healthy fats such
as those found in
olive and canola
oils, nuts, seeds
and fish. You
should limit intake of sat-
urated fats such as those
found in dairy and animal
products which are high in
cholesterol.
Experts have identified 4 groups that significantly benefit from statin therapy.
1. People with CVD
2. People with LDL 190
3. People with Diabetes
4. People with a 10 year CVD risk 7.5%

*CVD is defined as coronary syndromes, history of heart attack, stable or un-
stable chest pain, coronary or arterial revascularization, stroke, TIA, or pe-
ripheral vascular disease.
how much it costs. Your
healthcare provider will
recommend a medication
or combination of medica-
tions based on your specif-
ic levels and other individ-
ual factors.
Statins are the most pow-
erful and effective drugs
for treating cholesterol.
Statins include lovastatin,
pravastatin, simvastatin,
fluvastatin, atorvastatin,
and rosuvastatin. These
medications decrease the
body's production of cho-
lesterol and can reduce
LDL levels by as much as
20 to 60 percent. In addi-
tion, statins can lower tri-
glycerides and raise HDL
cholesterol levels.
There are many medica-
tions available to help low-
er elevated levels of bad
LDL cholesterol and tri-
glycerides, and a few for
increasing good HDL
cholesterol. Each category
of medication targets a
specific kind of cholesterol
and varies in how it works,
how effective it is, and
Running is a
Great Way
to Lower
Cholesterol
Medications
Should I Be Treated With Medicine?
Statins can
reduce
cholesterol
levels by as
much as 20 to
60 percent.
The treatment of high cholesterol is a lifelong process. Although medications can rapidly lower your
levels, it often takes 6 to 12 months before the effects of lifestyle modifications are noticeable. Once
you have an effective treatment plan and you begin to see results, it is important to stick with the
plan. If treatment is stopped the problem usually returns.
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Here at Smiths Pharmacy we have a
team of medical professionals adept
and well prepared to assist you with all
you medical needs. Please feel free to
call us with any questions.
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For More Information (References)
Centers for Disease Control and Preventon. (2014). Retrieved Aug 22, 2014 from htp://www.cdc.gov/
cholesterol/
Wilson McBride, J. Sanford Schwartz, Susan T. Shero, Sidney C. Et. Al. A Report of the American College of
Cardiology/American Heart Associaton 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to
Reduce Atherosclerotc. Circulaton published online November 12, 2013.