It’s common knowledge that “bad” LDL cholesterol and blood pressure are a dangerous mix, but new research shows that a specific type of LDL cholesterol can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke in people already suffering from high blood pressure. High levels of lipoprotein (a), (the “sticky” cholesterol) are of particular concern for people with high blood pressure. “We found that the overwhelming amount of cardiovascular risk in this diverse population appears to be due to hypertension,” says the study’s lead author, Dr. Rishi Rikhi, a cardiovascular medicine researcher at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “Furthermore, people with hypertension had an even higher cardiovascular risk when lipoprotein(a) was elevated.”
People with high Lp(a) and low hypertension had no increased risk. But the higher the lipoprotein (a) associated with hypertension, the higher the risk. “The fact that lipoprotein(a) appears to alter the relationship between hypertension and cardiovascular disease is interesting and suggests important interactions or relationships for hypertension, lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular disease,” says Dr. .Rikhi said. More research is needed.
So why is lipoprotein(a) so dangerous? Lipoprotein (a) is a variant of LDL made up of proteins and fats that carries cholesterol to your arteries. “This protein causes these particles to invade artery walls more aggressively than regular LDL,” says cardiologist Dr. Donna Polk, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. People with high levels of Lp(a) are more likely to develop dangerous atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in the arteries) and are subsequently at higher risk for peripheral arterial disease (blockage of the legs), aortic stenosis (narrowing of the the aortic valve of the heart), and an increased risk of heart attack. Lipoprotein(a) is genetic and can cause a heart attack in an otherwise healthy person (e.g., the The Biggest Loser star Bob Harper, who had a heart attack at age 52).
Lipoprotein (a) cannot be decreased or managed by lifestyle factors, but there are other ways to help support heart health. Continue reading.
A heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to benefit heart health. “The Mediterranean diet is more than a ‘diet.’ It’s a heart-healthy diet,” says Cardiology Nurse Practitioner Therese Scanlan. “For most people, what is good for the heart is also good for the brain and the rest of the body. The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the traditional cuisine of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. While there is no single definition of the Mediterranean diet, it is generally high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and olive oil.
Healthy fats are another important part of the Mediterranean diet. “They’re eaten in place of less healthy fats, such as saturated and trans fats, which contribute to heart disease,” Scanlan says. Olive oil is the main source of added fat in the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil provides monounsaturated fat, which lowers total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, also known as LDL or “bad” cholesterol. .Nuts and seeds also contain monounsaturated fatty acids.
Regular exercise is a non-negotiable for heart health. “Aerobic exercise and resistance training are most important for heart health,” says exercise physiologist Johns Hopkins Kerry J. Stewart, Ed.D. “Although flexibility does not directly contribute to heart health, it is nevertheless important because it provides a good foundation to perform aerobic and strength exercises more effectively.”
A combination of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and flexibility exercises are all important for heart health, helping to raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL). “Scientific data has consistently shown that aerobic or cardio style exercise not only improves circulation in your heart, but circulation throughout your cardiovascular system,” says a cardiac rehabilitation expert. Erik Van Iterson, PhD, MS. “It usually means the ability to circulate blood effectively and efficiently and usually leads to a reduction in cardiovascular risk. Exercise is the simplest form of medicine. It’s something you can control and you can handle.”
Uncontrolled stress can wreak havoc on your heart. “Unchecked stress can cause something as terrible as broken heart syndrome, cardiomyopathy. So it’s really important to remember that taking care of others means taking care of yourself first,” says cardiologist Leslie Cho, MD.
“People often underestimate the negative effects that psychosocial stress can have on their heart health,” he says. Niti Aggarwal, MD. Psychosocial stressors are life situations that cause unusual or intense stress, such as divorce, family conflict, death of a loved one, prolonged illness, or natural disaster. Studies have shown that depression and psychosocial stress are associated with heart attacks. Additionally, high stress levels have been shown to have a negative effect on the recovery of health after a heart attack. Therefore, addressing both traditional and non-traditional risk factors for heart disease is important to maintaining a healthy heart. It’s also important to recognize that traditional and non-traditional risk factors for heart disease affect women differently than men.
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), cholesterol testing should begin between ages 9 and 11 and be repeated every five years. Men aged 45 to 65 and women aged 55 to 65 should be screened every 1 to 2 years, and those over 65 should be tested annually. People at increased risk for heart disease may need to be tested more frequently.
Getting tested in a doctor’s office is far preferable to testing at home. Home cholesterol tests, on the other hand, offer no real benefit. says Harvard Health. “They don’t provide accurate information about your cardiovascular risk. They also don’t tell you much about the impact of diet or exercise on your cholesterol. Some home tests can also be very difficult to They report cholesterol levels in terms of national guidelines. The targets and thresholds in these guidelines vary for other health conditions, and you may need a doctor to help you determine what standards are right for you. apply to you. In general, it’s best not to check your cholesterol levels at home. Let a lab give you the detailed information you need.”
Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is a particularly dangerous type of fat hidden deep in the abdomen, surrounding organs such as the liver and kidneys. Known as “active” fat, visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, even in otherwise healthy people. “Studies that have examined the relationship between abdominal fat and cardiovascular outcomes confirm that visceral fat is a clear health hazard,” says Dr. Tiffany Powell WileyHead of the Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
Eating healthy, watching portion sizes, exercising regularly, sleeping, limiting alcohol, avoiding tobacco, and managing stress are just a few ways to effectively banish belly fat. “One of the reasons excess visceral fat is so harmful could be its location near the portal vein, which carries blood from the intestinal region to the liver,” says Harvard Health. Substances released by visceral fat, including free fatty acids, enter the portal vein and travel to the liver, where they can influence the production of blood lipids. Visceral fat is directly linked to increased total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol and insulin resistance.
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