High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL-C) is a major cause of cardiovascular events such as a heart attack or stroke. 1

Know your cholesterol risk

If you have already experienced a cardiovascular event, speak to your doctor about testing and managing your cholesterol levels.

Heart

After a heart attack, you have 6x increased risk for it to happen again. 2

HEART ATTACK: Blockage of blood vessels supplying blood to the heart

Brain

After a stroke, you have 9x increased risk for it to happen again. 2

STROKE: Blockage of blood vessels supplying blood to the brain

Find out your risk level

How can high cholesterol lead to heart attack and stroke?

When there is plaque, your arteries become clogged and narrow, reducing blood flow. The problem is when the plaque ruptures, it can cause blood clot, and if a piece of the plaque travels in your blood stream, it may lead to a heart attack or a stroke. 4

Cholesterol build up

Did you know?

Coronary heart disease has been the #1 cause of death in Malaysia from 2015 to 2022. 3

Getting your cholesterol checked is one of the first steps to minimize the risk of developing heart problems in the future.

Learn about your cholesterol risk

Cholesterol adds up and increases your risk.

The longer you are exposed to high LDL, you increase your risk of having a heart attack earlier in life. 5

There are usually no signs and symptoms that you have high cholesterol, and many people may be unaware they have high cholesterol for a long period of time until they develop serious health problems. 6

LDL-C accumulates in your blood vessels eventually creating plaque that could obstruct blood flow resulting in the heart attack or stroke.

Want to know your risk?

Your accumulated years of exposure to LDL can be used as an estimate to your plaque burden and your average risk for the first heart attack.

Warning!

Your risk results based on your LDL-C levels:

Graph

As cholesterol and plaque builds up, the average age of the first heart attack goes down.

What other factors can increase risk?

Find out your risk level and corresponding LDL-C goal.7

Check all that apply to you.

Risk factor counting is based on Malaysia CPG Guidelines Management of Dyslipidemia 2023.

Answer the risk checklist to see your results.

How to lower your cholesterol?

These key steps can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke. 9

Manage your conditions

Manage your conditions 9,12

  • Your doctor may prescribe medications to help achieve your target level of blood cholesterol, sugar and/or blood pressure or any condition that put you at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
  • Never stop your cholesterol-lowering medication or change its dose before consulting your doctor even if you have achieved your target cholesterol level.
Manage weight

Manage weight 9

  • Maintain a healthy weight with a healthy diet and regular exercise
Quit smoking

Quit smoking & limit alcohol 9

  • Don’t smoke, vape, or use other tobacco products.
  • Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages.
Exercise

Make time to exercise 9,10,11

  • 150 minutes per week doing moderate intensity physical activity (e.g., tennis, bicycling, or brisk walking).
  • Or 75 minutes per week doing vigorous exercise (e.g., running, swimming, or jumping rope).
  • Always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any concerns about your fitness, haven’t exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis.
Eat heart healthy

Eat a heart-healthy diet 9

  • Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (e.g., beans, lentils), nuts, fish and seafood, and poultry.
  • Limit sugary drinks and full-fat dairy products.

Dietary Recommendation on Fats

The type of fat (saturated or unsaturated fat) in your diet will affect the amount of good and bad cholesterols in your bloodstream.

Foods that are rich in animal-based saturated fats are also high in cholesterol content.

GOOD FATS

GOOD FATS

Monounsaturated & Polyunsaturated Fats

Functions

  • Lower bad cholesterol level
  • Lower the risk of heart disease and stroke
  • Provide essential fats that the body needs but cannot produce itself

Sources

Plant-based liquid oils, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

Fats Oils

Oils (such as corn, sunflower, soybean, canola, olive, peanut, sesame oils)

Fats Avocado

Avocado

Fatty Fish

Fatty Fish (such as mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, and jelawat)

Fats Nuts

Nuts & Seeds (such as chia seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, almond, walnuts)

BAD FATS

Bad Fats

Saturated Fats

Functions

  • Raise good and bad cholesterol levels
  • Increase the risk of heart disease and stroke

Sources

Most come from animal sources, including meat and dairy, and from tropical oils.

Animal Fats

Animal Fat

Butter

Butter

Cheese

Cheese

Tropical Oils

Tropical Oils (such as coconut and palm oils)

Bad Fats

Hydrogenated Oils & Trans Fats

Functions

  • Raise bad cholesterol level
  • Lower good cholesterol level
  • Increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus

Sources

Processed foods made with partially hydrogenated oil.

Hydrogenated Oils

Partially hydrogenated oils

Baked Goods

Some baked goods

Fried Foods

Fried foods

Hard Margarine

Hard margarines & shortenings

Treating High Cholesterol with Medicine

These are the medications that could be prescribed by your doctor to help lower your cholesterol. Your doctor will also guide you on how to take these medications and the specific dosage you should be taking.

Statin

Lowers cholesterol in the blood by inhibiting an enzyme that makes cholesterol.

1 pill/day

Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors (Ezetimibe)

Prevent cholesterol from being absorbed in the intestine.

1 pill/day

Fibrates

Lower triglyceride levels in the blood and has a mild effect in lowering LDL-C.

1 pill/day

mAb (Monoclonal Antibodies)

Binds and inactivates a protein to lower LDL-C.

1 injection/2 weeks

siRNA (Small Interfering RNA)

Prevents the production of a protein in the liver to lower LDL-C.

1 injection/6 months

Disclaimer: The above information is not meant to replace medical advice by healthcare professionals. Kindly speak to a healthcare professional to know more details. Not all medications may be suitable or needed for all patients.

Unblock barriers to heart health

Consult your doctor to discuss your current cholesterol levels, set targets, and develop a personalized plan for prevention. By taking proactive steps and seeking medical guidance, you can work towards better heart health and overall well-being.

Personal Data Disclaimer: None of the data you provide on the website will be collected, held, processed, or used in the form of identifiable personal information within the meaning of Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (for Malaysia).
We are implementing Google Analytics for anonymized tracking of site visitors, we will use cookie information for this purpose. To know more about our cookie policy please visit this page.
This website is a non-promotional material and is supported by Novartis. The content is intended for medical educational purposes only. Novartis does not engage in the promotion of unregistered products or unapproved indications. Please consult local Prescribing Information for registration/product license details.

References:

  1. Packard C, et al. Intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering in cardiovascular disease prevention. Heart 2021;107(17):1369–1375.
  2. Rosenblit, P.D. Extreme Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Recognition. Curr Diab Rep 19, 61 (2019).
  3. Statistics on Causes of Death, Malaysia, 2023. Department of Statistics Malaysia. Available from https://newss.statistics.gov.my/newss-portalx/ep/epDownloadContentSearch.seam?cid=149590, last accessed June 2024.
  4. American Heart Association. My cholesterol guide. Available at: https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/health-topics/cholesterol/my-cholesterol-guide-english.
  5. Ference BA, Graham I, Tokgozoglu L, Catapano AL. Impact of Lipids on Cardiovascular Health: JACC Health Promotion Series. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018 Sep 4;72(10):1141-1156. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.06.046. PMID: 30165986.
  6. High Cholesterol – Symptoms, Causes & Levels. British Heart Foundation. Available from: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-cholesterol#SYMP. Last accessed March 2024.
  7. Gonzales-Santos, LE, et al. Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies. Executive Summary of the 2020 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemia in the Philippines.
  8. Punekar RS, Fox KM, Richhariya A, Fisher MD, Cziraky M, Gandra SR, Toth PP. Burden of First and Recurrent Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Hyperlipidemia. Clin Cardiol. 2015 Aug;38(8):483-91. doi: 10.1002/clc.22428. Epub 2015 Jun 23. PMID: 26100722; PMCID: PMC6711069.
  9. Reduce Your Risk of ASCVD. American Heart Association. Available from: https://www.heart.org/-/media/Files/Health-Topics/Cholesterol/Reduce-ASCVD-risk.pdf, last accessed February 2024.
  10. Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity. Mayo Clinic. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389, last accessed February 2024.
  11. American College of Sports Medicine; American Heart Assocation. Exercise and acute cardiovascular events: placing the risks into perspective. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(5):886-897.
  12. Cholesterol Medications. American Heart Association. Available from: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/prevention-and-treatment-of-high-cholesterol-hyperlipidemia/cholesterol-medications, last accessed February 2024.