High Cholesterol

There aren’t any symptoms or warning signs of a problem with your cholesterol or lipids. That’s why it’s so important to get them measured before it’s too late.

Anyone can have high cholesterol, but your lifestyle, your family history and your health can all affect your chances of having raised levels. 

Lifestyle choices that increase your risk include:

• A diet high in saturated fat (animal and dairy products) and low in monounsaturated fat (nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish)
• An inactive lifestyle
• Smoking 
• Being overweight or obese

There are other causes of high cholesterol that you cannot control: 

• Age
• Family history
• Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) – a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Ethnicity
• Liver or kidney disease
• Underactive thyroid gland

Traditional cholesterol tests can miss up to 50% of people with lipid levels that put them at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. London Medical offers detailed lipid profiling so that any disease can be identified at an early stage and treated effectively.

Our cutting-edge lipid profiling includes: 

• Traditional cholesterol and lipid screening of total cholesterol, HDL, non-HDL, LDL and triglyceride levels
• LDL particle testing to accurately predict your risk for heart attack
• Advanced lipid marker and inflammatory marker testing including NMR particles, apolipoproteins, Lp-PLA2, oxidised LDL, lipoprotein (a) testing
• A carotid artery ultrasound to assess plaque buildup 

We’ll also run tests to screen for any underlying conditions and conduct gene studies.

The test is just the first step. The expert physicians at London Medical can help you understand the results, explain your personal cardiac risk and work with you to make changes to prevent heart attack, stroke and premature death. Your customised treatment plan will likely include 

recommendations for medications and lifestyle changes. 

Medications

The only safe drugs that reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke are those that lower LDL cholesterol. You’ll likely be prescribed several medications in combination which could include:

• Statins and ezetimibe 
• PCSK9 inhibitors – Repatha (evolocumab) or Praluent (alirocumab)
• Nilemdo (bempedoic acid)
• Leqvio (inclisiran)

Lifestyle changes

The best thing you can do for your heart health and your overall health is to adopt healthy lifestyle changes. This includes eating a well-balanced diet, losing weight and staying active. Research suggests that a Mediterranean diet may protect your heart and overall health. It is low in saturated fats and rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, beans and pulses, nuts and some healthy fats (olive oil, oily fish and avocado). If you have diabetes, you should also educate yourself on eating healthier carbs to help control your insulin levels.                                                                                                                                        

The number one enemy of the arterial wall is smoking. Smoking causes a buildup of tar in your arteries which makes it easier for cholesterol to adhere to the arterial wall. If you are a smoker, the most important thing you can do for your health is to quit smoking to reduce your risk of high cholesterol and future heart problems. 

As part of the London Medical family, our cardiology clinic has access to various specialties – all under one roof. So whether you need a personalised weight management programme, expert nutritional advice or support with quitting smoking, we’re here to help look after your whole health.