September Is National Cholesterol Education Month

September is National Cholesterol Education Month. High Cholesterol is one of the leading causes of vascular problems. This makes it a good time to have your blood cholesterol checked and take appropriate steps to lower it if it is too high. Here are a few important things you should know about cholesterol so you can know if it might be causing you to have vascular problems.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 102 million American Adults (20 years or older) have total cholesterol levels at or above 200mg/dL, which is above healthy levels. More than 35 million of these people have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for heart disease.
• If you have too much cholesterol it builds up in your arteries. This results in a narrowing of your arteries and puts you at risk for a stroke or heart disease.
• If you have high cholesterol you most likely will not know it. The only way to determine if you have high cholesterol is by checking it with a blood test. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends getting your cholesterol checked every 5 years for adults 20 years or older.
• If you have high cholesterol you may need to take medications. You also may help lower your levels through diet, exercise, healthy weight management and not smoking.
• LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is known as “bad” cholesterol.  HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is known as “good” cholesterol.

If you or a loved one is suffering from some form of vascular disease, contact Dr. Alan Benvenisty. He is your trusted physician with a special emphasis and extensive experience in vascular diagnosis and surgery.