Know Your Risk (NAPSA)—Howdo yourcholes- terol numbers measure up? Your numbers are crucial for knowing your chance of having a heart attack. In September, National Cholesterol Education Month, have your cholesterol checked. Then, find out your risk for heart disease—andhowto lowerit. 1. Know your cholesterol numbers. A fasting lipoprotein profile measures total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglyc- eride levels. Everyone age 20 or older should have this blood test at least once every five years. 2. Know yourrisk for coronary heart disease (CHD). How likely are you to develop heart disease or have a heart attack? People with CHDordiabetes are at the greatest risk for a heart attack. Others can look at their LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level and other risk factors for CHDto evaluate their CHD risk. Cholesterol-lowering treatment primarily aims to lower the level TY (* other than LDL) is considered as highja risk as hav- ing CHD (“CHD equivalent”). Find out your risk score with an online calculator from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), a public health initiative of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Go to www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cho- lesterol andclick on Patients. of LDL, the main source of block- 3. Reach your goal. Many people can reach their LDL goal through therapeutic lifestyle the CHD risk, the lower the LDL treatment goal (see table). The weight management. Some, how- age in the arteries. The higher factors (other than LDL) that affect this goal are: cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, family history of early heart dis- changes, such as improving their diet, physical activity level, and ever, will also need medication. In addition, people with metabolic syndrome—a cluster of risk factors such as obesity, high ease, and olderage. triglyceride levels, and a low HDL level—may need additional treat- high LDL), estimating yourrisk for treatmentgoal. For more information, visit the If you have two or more of the above risk factors (other than a having a heart attack in the next 10 years is recommended, according to the latest national guidelines. A risk score over 20 percent ment after reaching their LDL NCEP Website at www.nhlbi.nih. gov/chd or contact the NHLBI Health Information Center at (301) 592-8573.
