One in three persons with raised cholesterol - if truly representative – is not surprising in the Philippines, where cardiovascular disease ( like the UK ) kills more people each year than any other.
We use mmole / l ( millimole / litre ) – not mg / dl ( milligrams / decilitre ). The 1 in 10 filipinos with high cholesterol ( over 240 mg/dl ) is also high by our standards ( 6.2 mmol/l ). Similarly just over a fifth were “ borderline “ ( 200 mg/dl ) corresponding to 5.2 mmol/l . The AVERAGE total cholesterol level in the UK is 5.5mmol/l ( 213 mg/dl ) for men and 5.6mmol/l ( 217 mg/ dl ) for women.
It's the balance of different types of lipoproteins, rather than the overall total cholesterol level, that matters.
Risk is determined by a combination of factors, including age, gender, family history of heart disease, and whether someone smokes, is overweight, has high blood pressure or diabetes. Preventative measures should be taken if there is a high risk of cardiovascular disease, and to prevent recurrence if they already have it.
Lfestyle should be modified to improve diet, exercise, weight, alcohol consumption, and stopping smoking. There are lipid regulating drugs such as statins, but treatment with them – if at all – needs to be combined with lifestyle changes. These types of drugs may have unpleasant side effects.
The aim is to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol.
( Desirable levels are :-
• Total cholesterol - less than 5.0mmol/l ( 193 mmol / l ).
• LDL cholesterol - less than 3.0mmol/l ( 117 mmol/ l ). For people who have, or are at risk of, coronary heart disease:
• Total cholesterol - less than 4.0mmol/l ( 155 mg/dl ).
• LDL cholesterol - less than 2.0mmol/l. ( 78 mmol / l ) ).
