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Q: Which specialist should I see if I have high Cholesterol?
A: You should consult a General Physician or an endocrinologist. A dietitian can help you with a diet to lower cholesterol.
Q: How good is the treatment for high cholesterol?
A: A little work can make a big difference. Every 1% reduction in your cholesterol LDL or bad cholesterol level lowers your risk of heart disease by 2%. Each increase of 1 mg/dL (not percent) of your good cholesterol or HDL decreases your risk 2% to 3%.
Q: I've heard that a couple of drinks of alcohol a day will help my cholesterol. Is this true?
A: It is true that modest alcohol ingestion will raise the "good" (HDL) cholesterol. It appears that the equivalent of one or two ounces can raise the level by 5% to 10%. Red wine may provide some additional benefits. However, this should never be used as an excuse to start drinking. Remember that regular alcohol consumption can increase the levels of triglycerides and increase risk of heart disease, fatty liver and cirrhosis.
Q: What foods are high in fat?
A:
- Dairy foods (whole milk, ice cream, creams)
- Fatty red meats, processed meat products
- Butter is not only high in fat, but saturated fat as well
- Oils are fat, although some may have lower saturated fat
- Egg yolks, which are particularly high in cholesterol
- Cheese
Q: What are some foods that are low in fat and better to eat?
A:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Fish and shellfish
- Cereals, rice
- Pasta
- Nuts and seeds
- Vegetable oils are preferable to butter
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It would be helpful (if such data is available) to know the amount of increased risk of (say) heart attack when 'bad' LDL (holding HDL constant at say 35) increases from 130 to 160 to 200. For example at (a wild guess) at 130, 1 in 20 experience an 'event', so at 160, 2 in 20, and at 200, 3 in 20.