For people who are trying to lower cholesterol, the goal is to decrease low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol enough to reduce the risk of heart disease or a heart attack. This typically begins with lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating a heart-healthy diet, and exercising more. It may take three to six months before you and your healthcare provider see the full benefit of lifestyle changes on your cholesterol level.
Eating a heart-healthy diet involves eating only enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, adding cholesterol-lowering food (such as margarines that contain plant sterol), and increasing soluble fiber intake. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, statins, bile acid sequestrants, or cholesterol absorption inhibitors may be prescribed.
(Click Lowering Cholesterol to learn more about the lifestyle changes that can help decrease cholesterol levels, the medications that may be prescribed, and the health risks that too much cholesterol present. You can also click on any of the links in the box to the right for more information.)
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