hi all .. i had high cholesterol 2 yrs ago on a test.. first i ever had.
6.4 i was told this was normal by gp... hospital recently retested 6.7
and said 6.4 was far from normal.. 40 mg of statins started and
level down to 4.7 .. i have read levels can be high whith ra..
i know the cholesterol can be high whith diet and other things..
i just wonderd if any one been started on statins as part of
there treatment for ra..
Boney had to do a edit as it reads i am on statins due to ra but they
are not part of my ra therapy as such..
making it look worse now .. put this down to 20mg pred
Cholesterol and triglycerides are the two major fats in the blood. Blood fats are also called lipids. Your body makes cholesterol (in the liver) and gets it from food, then uses it to build cell membranes and hormones. Cholesterol testing is an analysis of the cholesterol levels in a sample of your blood. High cholesterol is a total cholesterol reading over 240. However, a total cholesterol reading between 200 and 239 is considered borderline high. High levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream can block blood flow and increase your risk of health problems such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery or carotid artery disease. These diseases increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. However, not all cholesterol is bad. To travel through the bloodstream, cholesterol attaches itself to certain proteins. The combination of fats and proteins are called lipoproteins.
Cholesterol is carried by two types of proteins. A high level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) increases the risk of heart disease because it leaves the fat on the inside walls of the blood vessels and deposits it in body tissues. You may have heard LDL referred to as the "bad cholesterol." The cholesterol carried by high-density lipoproteins (HDL) lowers your risk of heart disease, and is often called "good cholesterol." HDL actually helps your body get rid of cholesterol. Cholesterol is usually measured as total serum cholesterol. However, because the level of HDL cholesterol is so important, many doctors look at the ratio of the total cholesterol level to HDL cholesterol level to assess the risk of heart disease.
Anyone can develop high cholesterol, but some people are more likely than others due to disease or a genetic disorder.
For many people, high cholesterol is caused by eating a diet that is high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Some people, however, have an inherited disorder in which the body cannot properly metabolize cholesterol. Others have a disease that causes high cholesterol levels, such as kidney and liver disease, hypothyroidism, an overactive pituitary gland, and diabetes mellitus.
There are no symptoms of high cholesterol until the high levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream have blocked blood flow. This is signaled by health problems such as atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease, which can result in heart attack or stroke. Narrowed or blocked arteries to the legs can cause leg pain when walking.
Your doctor will take a complete medical history and perform a thorough physical exam. High cholesterol is diagnosed by a total serum cholesterol test. A small amount of blood (5 milliliters) is withdrawn from one of your veins while you are seated. Once the blood is removed, it will be carefully labeled with information such as your name, the time and date the blood was drawn, and your doctor's name. Then, the blood will be separated in a laboratory so the levels of cholesterol and HDL, as well as any other lipoproteins, can be measured. If you are having a cholesterol test, you should fast for at least 12 hours before the test. This means you may not eat anything, and may drink only water. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the test. Your doctor may recommend that you stop taking any medications that may affect the accuracy of the test results. However, do not stop taking any regularly prescribed medications unless your doctor tells you to. In general, desired test results for adults are as follows: Total cholesterol (TC): Below 200 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood (mg/dl). HDL cholesterol: Above 40 mg/dl LDL cholesterol: Below 130 mg/dl TC/HDL ratio: Below 4.0
Treatment of high cholesterol depends upon its cause. Where high cholesterol is caused by a diet high in fatty foods, it can be lowered by altering your diet. Foods to avoid include whole eggs; shellfish; organ meats such as liver, brain, heart, kidneys, and sweetbreads; snacks and lunch meats that are high in saturated fats; fried foods; and desserts that are high in fats.
Some tips for lowering your fat intake include removing the fat from meats before cooking them, using egg whites instead of whole eggs, substituting applesauce for oil when baking, and using skim milk and other low fat dairy products. A diet high in fresh fruits, grains, vegetables, and beans is important to good health. Read the labels on the products you buy; sometimes just reading the ingredients of unhealthy foods is enough to prevent you from buying them! Some people, such as those whose high cholesterol is caused by an inherited disorder, must take medication to control their cholesterol levels, in addition to following a healthy diet. Commonly prescribed medications include cholestyramine, colestipol, lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, probucol, gemfibrozil, or niacin. Like most drugs, these have possible side effects that your doctor should discuss with you. Where high cholesterol is caused by disease, treatment is specific to the underlying disease. Everyone with high cholesterol also benefits from a doctor-approved exercise program.
Most people can control their total serum cholesterol by following a healthy diet; maintaining a healthy weight for their age, height, and body type; not smoking; and participating in a regular exercise program. A healthy diet includes the daily recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. While you don't need to give up all red meats and foods containing saturated fats, they should be eaten in moderation. The key to a healthy diet is not to deprive yourself of foods you like, but to balance them with more healthy foods.