How to control cholesterol levels after a heart attack?

If you have recently had a heart attack or similar heart-related condition, you must have heard the doctor talking about "cholesterol." You must have heard things like "I need to lower my cholesterol" and "I need to check my lipid profile." This should be one of the main goals in your life right now. Because, after being warned about heart disease once, we shouldn't let it happen again, right? So, let's understand this cholesterol story in a simple and clear way.

First of all, what is cholesterol?

Simply put, cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance found in our blood. As scary as it may sound, our bodies actually need some cholesterol. Think about it, cholesterol helps build cell walls, produce certain vitamins like vitamin D, and even hormones. Our bodies naturally produce cholesterol, but we also get it from some of the foods we eat.

So why is high cholesterol dangerous?

Think about the water pipe in your kitchen sink. If we keep putting oily things in it, little by little those layers of oil will build up inside the pipe, blocking the water from flowing through, right? The same thing happens to our blood vessels.

When cholesterol levels increase, this extra cholesterol starts to build up on the walls of our blood vessels (arteries). We call this layer of cholesterol that builds up "plaques." In medicine, this condition is called atherosclerosis . Over time, these plaques grow larger and narrow the space inside the blood vessels. Then the path for blood to travel becomes narrower. As a result, the heart does not get the amount of blood and oxygen it needs. The heart has to work harder.

The most dangerous thing about this is that if a plaque ruptures at some point, a blood clot can form at that location. If that blood clot completely blocks the blood vessel, the risk of a serious condition like a heart attack or stroke is very high.

Because you already have heart disease, you are at higher risk than others. That's why it's so important to keep an eye on your cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol's good friend and bad enemy

You may have heard your doctor talk about two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL. Let's understand these two in simple terms. This is like the good character and the bad character in our story.

Cholesterol Test (Lipid Profile)

Your doctor is doing a "Lipid Profile" to measure these things. This test mainly looks at:

• LDL cholesterol: "bad" cholesterol level.
• HDL cholesterol: "good" cholesterol level.
• Triglycerides: This is another type of fat found in the blood. Too much of these is also not good for the heart.
• Total Cholesterol: This is a value that is calculated by adding together a portion of the LDL, HDL, and triglycerides mentioned above.

After a heart attack, your doctor will usually recommend that you have this test at least once a year. Sometimes, you may be asked to have it done more often, especially when you start or change medications.

What are your numbers? Ask the doctor.

This is the most important thing. Even though there are common values ​​for "healthy cholesterol levels" on the Internet or elsewhere, those common values ​​don't apply to you if you're facing a situation like a heart attack. You have more stringent goals than that.

So, the next time you see the doctor, be sure to ask these questions:

• "Doctor, how much do I need to lower my LDL cholesterol level?"
• "How much do I need to increase my HDL cholesterol level?"
• "How often should I get my cholesterol checked?"

Knowing these numbers is like knowing the route while traveling. It will give you great control and comfort. It is also important to take the medicine prescribed by the doctor exactly as prescribed, without missing a single day. Also, diet control and proper exercise are essential to win this battle.