Raised cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease. Whatever your age or other risk factors, lowering your cholesterol will reduce your risk of heart disease.

In general, a 1% reduction in blood cholesterol reduces heart disease by 2-3% but this is age related, for example a 10% reduction of UK average blood cholesterol would reduce heart disease by 50% at 40 years of age and 20% at 70 years of age.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol travels to your body's cells through the bloodstream in tiny packages called lipoproteins. Scientists distinguish the types of cholesterol packages by their density and the most important types are low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol). Most of the blood cholesterol is carried as LDL-cholesterol from the liver to other parts of the body. Having a high level of LDL-cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease, because in modified forms it can slowly build up in the walls of coronary arteries forming deposits and ultimately cause a heart attack. Hence LDL-cholesterol can be seen as the 'bad guy' and the Lower the LDL-cholesterol the better!

HDL cholesterol is the 'good guy' and acts as an arterial scavenger (a biological 'hoover') carrying cholesterol away from body tissues, including artery walls and back to the liver. Having a low HDL-cholesterol level increases your risk of heart disease. The Higher the HDL-cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart disease.

High Risk = High LDL, Low HDL
Low Risk = Low LDL, High HDL

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are different fats, absorbed from food but also made in the body. People with high triglyceride levels often have higher total cholesterol, high LDL-cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol. Many clinical studies have shown that people with high triglyceride levels have an increased risk of heart disease. A high carbohydrate intake, particularly from sugar or alcohol, as well as other factors, can raise triglycerides. People who have diabetes, are overweight or have a high alcohol intake are more likely to have high triglyceride levels. Enjoying a healthy heart diet, with particular emphasis on eating oily fish, can help to lower triglycerides.

What are lipids?

The fats in your blood are technically known as lipids. If you have a fasting lipid test, (when you fast for 12hours - drinking only water) the results will show your lipid pattern or profile and this includes total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels. A non-fasting lipid test will just measure your total cholesterol.