All recommendations for a healthy lifestyle focus on reducing dietary fats to reduce the blood cholesterol levels. When cholesterol levels are reported, they appear in the laboratory report under various headings: total cholesterol; high-density lipoproteins, or HDL; low-density lipoproteins, or LDL; and triglycerides. A high total serum cholesterol level is defined by the American Heart Association as levels equal to or above 240 milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dL. Levels below 200 mg/dL are normal, while patients having a total cholesterol level between 200-239 mg/dL are considered to have borderline high blood levels of cholesterol.
Coronary Heart Disease
According to the American Heart Association, total cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or more place a patient at an increased risk for coronary heart disease. A patient with high blood cholesterol is twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than a person with cholesterol below 200 mg/dL. Coronary heart disease is the medical term encompassing all heart conditions caused by the narrowing and stiffening of the blood vessels feeding the heart. Excess cholesterol deposits in the walls of the coronary blood vessels making their lumens narrower and the walls stiffer. This decreases the vital flow of blood to the heart muscle. During exertion, the heart normally requires more blood to provide its increased metabolic demands. When the coronary vessels are stiff, they are unable to dilate. Also, because of the reduction in their caliber, the amount of blood flowing through them cannot be greatly increased. This results in the chest pain described as angina. If the blockade is severe or more complete, a part of the heart muscle may die because of lack of nutrients. This is called myocardial infarction.
Stroke
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke points out that a high total level of cholesterol predisposes patients to stroke. Stroke occurs when the cerebral blood vessel nourishing a part of the brain is blocked. High cholesterol levels cause atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels, just as they caused narrowing and thickening of the coronary vessels. Lowering blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL known as the "bad" cholesterol, is highly beneficial to prevent recurrence in patients with a previous stroke episode.
Kidney Disease
While many people are aware of the increased risk of stroke and heart disease associated with high blood cholesterol, most are not aware of how high cholesterol affects kidney function. The Kidney And Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse asserts that chronic elevation of blood cholesterol levels can significantly reduce kidney functions and accelerate the development of chronic renal failure.
