Dr Sarah Jarvis

As we mark British Heart week (7th - 15th June), new research has found that while over half of people in the UK aged 55 and over have spoken about their cholesterol levels with a GP, there are still gaps in the public’s knowledge regarding cholesterol and its impact on our health.Close to half of adults in the UK are living with cholesterol levels above national guidelines, putting them at risk of suffering from heart conditions and other circulatory diseases, according to the British Heart Foundation.High levels of cholesterol can be caused by several reasons, such as lifestyle, family history and health issues. There are some factors, such as age, gender and family history that cannot be controlled, however, other aspects such as changing diet, increasing exercise and stopping smoking can all help to lower cholesterol levels.A new survey, commissioned by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, has revealed that while 52% have spoken about cholesterol with their GP and half (50%) have had their cholesterol levels checked with their GP practice, many are still unaware of what it means to have good cholesterol or what a healthy level is.Almost a third of people (29%) were unsure or didn’t know where to get a cholesterol check and only 6% knew how often they should get their cholesterol checked as recommended by the NHS every five years.People with high cholesterol often don’t display symptoms, and many don’t realise they have a problem with cholesterol until they develop a more serious health issue, such as a heart attack or stroke. Cholesterol levels are measured through a blood test and are available as part of an NHS health check provided for free every five years for those aged 40-74.For those aged 55 or over who have previously suffered a serious medical episode such as a heart attack or stroke, 76% were very or somewhat concerned about suffering from another related condition, but more than a quarter (27%) didn’t plan to or hadn’t thought about making any changes to manage their cholesterol levels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.