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High Cholesterol: What Your Numbers Mean and How to Lower Them
High cholesterol has no symptoms but raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Learn what LDL, HDL and triglycerides mean and how to bring cholesterol down.
Quick answer
High cholesterol usually causes no symptoms, so the only way to know is a blood test (lipid profile). High LDL ("bad") cholesterol builds up in artery walls and raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Eating less saturated fat, being active, losing excess weight and not smoking help, and some people also need cholesterol-lowering medicine such as a statin.
In this article
Cholesterol is a fatty substance the body needs, but too much in the blood can block arteries over time. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the UAE and worldwide, and cholesterol is one of the risks you can measure and change.
Understanding your lipid profile
- LDL cholesterol ("bad"): carries cholesterol to the artery walls. Lower is better.
- HDL cholesterol ("good"): helps remove cholesterol. Higher is better.
- Triglycerides: another blood fat, raised by excess sugar, refined carbohydrates, alcohol and excess weight.
- Total cholesterol: the overall figure.
Target levels depend on your overall risk, including age, blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and family history. Your GP will explain your results in that context rather than looking at one number alone.
What raises cholesterol?
- Diet high in saturated fat (fatty meat, ghee, butter, full-fat dairy, fried and processed foods)
- Lack of physical activity
- Excess weight
- Smoking
- Family history, including inherited high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolaemia)
- Conditions such as diabetes, underactive thyroid and kidney disease
How to lower cholesterol
- Eat more fibre: oats, beans, lentils, fruit and vegetables.
- Swap fats: use olive or other vegetable oils in place of ghee and butter; choose lean meat and fish.
- Be active: aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking in a mall or an air-conditioned gym in summer.
- Stop smoking cigarettes and shisha.
- Lose excess weight.
Medicines
If your overall risk is high, your GP may recommend a statin or another medicine. Statins lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Most people take them without problems; report muscle pain to your doctor.
How often should cholesterol be checked?
Adults should have it checked as part of a regular health check, and more often if they have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a strong family history.
Frequently asked questions
Can thin people have high cholesterol?
Yes. Genes play a big role, so people of any weight can have high cholesterol.
Do I need to fast before the test?
Often not. Your doctor will tell you if fasting is needed, for example when triglycerides are being checked.
