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What Can Cause High Cholesterol?
I am a 53 y.o. female weighing about 58 kgs. I eat a healthy diet, very little fat or dairy products, walk most days 20-45 minutes fast up hill and down. I have had high cholesterol for about 30 years. Tests from one week ago show 273 (HDL 64 and LDL 181). I believe in my case it is from my mother, who always had very high cholesterol. My questions is, if ones high cholesterol is genetic, is it still as dangerous as if it was caused by my lifestyle? Many thanks in advance. Glenne
posted on
Thu, 13 Mar 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sat, 31 Oct 2015
Answered on
Mon, 2 Nov 2015
Last reviewed on
Dear Glenne,
If we take only cholesterol data, it is as dangerous as if it was caused by lifestyle.
BUT if the same cholesterol data have both an overweight person with unhealthy lifestyle and a person with normal weight and health lifestyle, Of course, the cardiovascular risk is much more less in the second case.
So, don't give up!
Continue following healthy lifestyle.
The only thing you need is evaluate your cardiovascular risk once a year, to see if there is a need to take statin (cholesterol lowering medication) or healthy lifestyle is enough.
Take care
If we take only cholesterol data, it is as dangerous as if it was caused by lifestyle.
BUT if the same cholesterol data have both an overweight person with unhealthy lifestyle and a person with normal weight and health lifestyle, Of course, the cardiovascular risk is much more less in the second case.
So, don't give up!
Continue following healthy lifestyle.
The only thing you need is evaluate your cardiovascular risk once a year, to see if there is a need to take statin (cholesterol lowering medication) or healthy lifestyle is enough.
Take care
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