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What is cholesterol and why is it a factor in heart disease?

Visit the Central Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute.

Cholesterol is a fat-like nutrient used by the body to help make hormones. The body makes all the cholesterol it needs to function properly.

Cholesterol is also found in foods we eat that include animal fat, such as meat and dairy products. When there is too much cholesterol in the blood stream, it can become trapped in the walls of the blood vessels.  This build-up is called plaque.

When plaque clogs the blood vessels that feed the heart, the heart muscle does not get the nutrients and oxygen it needs. The result is chest pain (angina), a heart attack.

How much cholesterol is safe to have in the blood?
Most experts recommend a total cholesterol level of less than 200.

Is there "good" and "bad" cholesterol?
Yes. There are cholesterol carriers, called lipoproteins, that transport cholesterol through the blood. The "good" type of lipoprotein is called HDL (high-density lipoprotein). HDL transports cholesterol away from blood vessels walls. So, a high HDL level is desirable. The American Heart Association recommends that your HDL level be 45 mg./dl. or higher.

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the "bad" cholesterol associated with heart disease. LDL sticks to the walls of the coronary arteries and forms plaque which can clog these arteries and lead to a heart attack.  An LDL level of 100 or less is considered best.  Click here for number chart.

How can blood cholesterol be controlled?
You can help control your blood cholesterol level by reducing the cholesterol  and the the total amount of fat in your diet, especially saturated fat. If you are overweight, losing weight will usually improve your blood cholesterol level. Blood cholesterol reductions can often be achieved with simple dietary changes. The American Heart Association recommends that for good health, less than 30 percent of our daily calories should come from fat. Of this 30 percent, 10 percent or less should come from saturated sources while another 20 percent should be provided by monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources. Recent studies show that the American diet contains more fat calories than considered heart healthy.

The table below provides a daily "fat budget" showing how many grams of fat you can eat each day if you want to reduce your fat intake to 20 percent, 25 percent or 30 percent of total calories:

Caloric Intake	20% Fat	25% Fat	30% Fat
1200	27	33	40
1300	29	36	43
1400	31	39	47
1500	33	42	50
1600	36	44	53
1700	38	47	57
1800	40	50	60
1900	42	53	63
2000	44	56	67
2100	47	58	70
2200	49	61	73
2300	51	64	77
2400	53	67	80
2500	56	69	83
2600	58	72	87

Central Baptist offers comprehensive services for people with heart disease, call 859-260-5500 for more information.