High cholesterol causes and symptoms

Many people are completely unaware that they have high cholesterol, which is why it’s known as the silent killer.

“There are no symptoms of high cholesterol,” says Dr. Dermot Neely, who runs a specialist lipid clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne.

“The only real symptom is a blocked artery, which causes a stroke or heart attack. In severe cases, you can get cholesterol deposits in the tendons or around the clear part of the eye, but a doctor would rarely notice these during an examination.”

So what is it?
Cardiovascular diseases are ­responsible for 38% of male and 37% of female deaths before the age of 75, with high cholesterol a serious risk factor. But it’s not all bad.

“We all have cholesterol in the blood, and we all need it to be a healthy human,” says Dr. Neely.

“It’s a fatty substance carried in the blood attached to proteins called ­lipoproteins and is mainly made by the liver, with only about a fifth coming from food. We need it to make hormones, vitamin D and to repair cells.”

Why is too much cholesterol bad for us?
“There are two main forms, LDL, low-density lipoprotein, and HDL, high density,’” says Dr. Neely.

LDL is often known as the bad cholesterol because too much is unhealthy.

It carries cholesterol to the cells that need it, but if there’s too much for them to use, it can build up on the wall of the arteries.

HDL is protective and carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it’s broken down or passed out of the body as waste.

What are the risk factors?
Dr. Neely says many of us associate having high cholesterol with a fatty diet, smoking or being overweight.

High cholesterol usually develops in men in their 50s and women in their 60s, after the menopause.

“This is when people often become aware of their cholesterol and can help reduce it by changing their diet and exercising,” says Dr. Neely.

“We’ve seen an increase in fad diets too,” he says, which on the surface look healthy, but are actually increase chances of high cholesterol.

“For example, lots of people have started using coconut oil in their diet. We’ve seen patients’ cholesterol double after using this.

“But while poor diet and lifestyle is a reason for high cholesterol, there is also an inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolemia or FH, which can cause high cholesterol even in someone who eats healthily, is slim and exercises regularly,” he adds.

Around one in 250 people has this condition, and it’s passed on by a “faulty” gene.

“In FH, cholesterol is double the normal from soon after birth, and if left untreated, can lead to early heart disease. Unfortunately, those with inherited high cholesterol only find out if a family member suffered early heart disease. For those with this type, they need early treatment with a high potency statin, which can reduce the LDL by at least half.”

What are the tests for it?
Blood cholesterol is measured in units called millimoles per liter of blood, often shortened to mmol/L. Healthy adults should have a total level of below 5 mmol/L.

“In people with early heart disease, around 75% of them will have high cholesterol,” says Dr. Neely.

“My suggestion would be that if you have family members who’ve had early heart disease or similar, go and get yourself tested. Some pharmacies, like Boots, can do it, but if you think you are at risk, ask your GP.

“The work Heart UK does to raise awareness about this is vital â€" and the fundraising people do into research is too,” he says.

“This might be known as the silent killer, but we want to shout about it from the rooftops.”
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