High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know, Part 4

What is your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack? Step 1.

In general, the higher your LDL level and the more risk factors you have (other than LDL), the greater your chances of developing heart disease or having a heart attack. Some people are at high risk for a heart attack because they already have heart disease. Other people are at high risk for developing heart disease because they have diabetes (which is a string risk factor) or a combination or risk of risk factors for heart disease. Follow these steps to find out your risk for developing heart disease.

Step 1:

Check the list below to see how many of the listed risk factors your have.

Major risk factors that affect your LDL goal:

• Cigarette smoking
• High blood pressure (140/90 mmHg or higher on blood pressure medication)
• Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg)*
• Family history of early heart disease (heart disease in father or brother before age 55; heart disease in mother or sister before age 65)
• Age (men 45 years or older; women 55 years or older)

Even though obesity and physical inactivity are not counted in this list, they are conditions that need to be corrected.

• Back: What affects cholesterol levels?
• Next: Risk of heart disease and heart attack, Step 2 and Step 3