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Cholesterol: What You Need to Know

Program: Women and Cardiovascular Risk Factors
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Andrew Schorr:

So lets talk about numbers. Somebody's coming for a checkup with you. What do you want to see their blood pressure be, and what do you want their cholesterol to be? And help us understand this about good cholesterol, bad cholesterol. What are the numbers?

Dr. Mendelson:

Well, if they are diabetic, their blood pressure needs to be below 130 over 80. If they're not, it should be below 130 over 85. So somebody with blood pressure of 140 over 90 has high blood pressure, just starting there. So we would like the blood pressure to be 120 over 70 because there's been some data that shows that above that level they are at potential risk. And yet it's not indicated to treat the blood pressure at that level yet, but certainly they need to be addressing issues such as salt in the diet, exercise, weight loss. Those are the type of issues we look at before they need to be treated.

And then we've got lots of medications to treat high blood pressure. We like to make sure somebody has high blood pressure at three individual readings and make sure it's not just a situation of meeting a new physician.

As far as cholesterol, cholesterol is usually checked. We like to check it in the fasting state. And usually what's reported are four numbers: the total cholesterol; the LDL, or the bad cholesterol; the triglycerides, which reflects basically the carbohydrates in your diet and may be elevated in diabetes; and the good cholesterol.

Now, the bad cholesterol, the LDL that should be for sure, it should be below 130, but it would be better if it were below 100. And if somebody has had coronary disease the lower the better, but certainly below 70. And every year that number keeps dropping down.

HDL should be as high as you can get it. And the way to raise your HDL is with diet and exercise, basically. And the HDL as high as you can get. Women, premenopausal women, have high HDL and some of that is due to estrogen, and then with the loss of estrogen that can fall. But, again, you've got to keep it up with diet and exercise.

Andrew Schorr:

Okay. So what are the numbers for somebody who comes in to see Dr. Mendelson and gets a gold star?

Dr. Mendelson:

Cholesterol, less than 200. HDL, 80, and that's a pipe dream. LDL, 100. And the triglycerides should also be low because it's a fast example.

Andrew Schorr:

kay. And the blood pressure?

Dr. Mendelson:

Blood pressure, 110 over 70.

Andrew Schorr:

kay. I want my female friends to get a gold star from you for that.

Dr. Mendelson:

Well, you know, it applies to men too.

Andrew Schorr:

Okay. Right.

Dr. Mendelson:

This is just good medicine.

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