Cholesterol and Heart Disease: What Your Numbers Actually Mean
By Dr. Raghvendra Choudhary, DM Cardiology
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in every cell of your body. It's essential for producing hormones and vitamin D — but in excess, it can cause serious heart disease.
Understanding Your Lipid Panel - LDL (Bad Cholesterol): Deposits in artery walls, causing plaques. Target: <100 mg/dL (or <70 for very high risk) - HDL (Good Cholesterol): Carries cholesterol away from arteries. Target: >40 (men), >50 (women) - Triglycerides: Fat in blood. Target: <150 mg/dL - Total Cholesterol: Target: <200 mg/dL
Lifestyle Changes That Help - Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats (olive oil, nuts) - Increase dietary fibre (oats, vegetables, fruits) - Exercise 150 minutes per week - Quit smoking — it lowers HDL - Limit alcohol
When Medication is Needed If lifestyle changes aren't enough, statins are the gold standard — safe, effective and proven to reduce cardiac events by 25–35%. Don't be afraid of medication if your doctor recommends it.