Medical Questions » Cholesterol Questions » Question No. 209
| Question: | My doctor tells me my cholesterol is high and wants me to take tablets. Can' t I just go on a diet? What do these tablets do? |
| Answer: | People with an excess level of cholesterol in their bloodstream are liable to an increased risk of strokes and heart attacks. For this reason it is essential for everyone to have a screening cholesterol check at the age of 40, and if this is abnormal, treatment will be necessary.
The mainstay of management is diet; and most dairy products, fatty meats, fried foods, and egg yolks are forbidden. If dietary measures are insufficient, medication is necessary to further lower the cholesterol level.
There are many medications that can be used to lower cholesterol. Further blood tests will be given a few months after the tablets are started to measure their effectiveness, and determine the long-term dose necessary to control the problem.
|
|
|
