Re: High Cholesterol

Posted By CCF- Cardio MD sc on October 03, 1997 at 11:56:35:

In Reply to: High Cholesterol posted by Michelle on September 26, 1997 at 12:39:40:







: My mom was diagnosed with High Cholesterol. I would just like an understanding
of this. What is it. What causes it. What can be done to to bring it down.
What can happen if it doesn't come down. She's 51, and the doctor gave her
2 numbers one was 310, the other is 206 (lipids?). What are the 2 different
numbers. They gave her a list of foods she could and couldn't eat. She
basically can't eat any fats, but it seemed to replace these foods with
other foods the contain a high level of salt. I've tried reading medical
books and journals and it's done nothing but confuse me. Anything you could
tell me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks















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Dear Michelle
Your mothers problem is a very  common problem, and as such has generated such a high volume of literature that it  may be overwhelming for the uninitiated to try and gain an understanding of the cholesterol issue. The total fat content of the body is  made up of a number of different components, with cholesterol being the one that has been studied most, and which  has been shown to be a significant risk factor for heart disease. A risk  that may be modified as the cholesterol level is diminished. Cholesterol itself is made up of different components, with LDL-c ( Low density lipoprotein ) cholesterol being the harmful component and HDL-c ( High density lipoprotein ) being the beneficial component that tends to protect against the harmful effects of LDL-c.
It is not clear to me what the levels you have given me stand for, but I may presume that they are values of total cholesterol and LDL. These values combined with the identification of other positive risk factors for coronary artery disease ( male > 45years, female > 65years, smoking, hypertension, LDL >130mg/dl, and HDL < 35mg/dl ) will determine the   level  and type of treatment a certain cholesterol profile will require. There are a number of sites on the web,  and endless volumes of books that dwell on these topics in more detail than I can in the confines of this forum. I can suggest two that I have personally read, one is " Eat more weigh less "  by Dr Ornish, and the other called  " Heart Smart " by Drs DeBakey and Gotto which I am sure you will find to be very helpful. I have also taken the liberty to insert a link to the American Heart
Association web site dealing with cholesterol which explains much more eloquently and in more detail the
points I was trying to introduce.
I hope this will help to clarify some of your issues, if you still have any further questions or would like to have your mother seen here at the clinic by one of our Prevention Cardiologists here at the Cleveland Clinic please feel free to call 1-800-CCF-CARE for an appointment.  

Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only. Actual diagnosis and
treatment of any particular medical condition can only be made by your family physician(s).




American Heart Association/ Cholesterol.