How women can combat high cholesterol
Regular exercise can help women prevent
and combat high cholesterol.
hen it comes to stroke, time is
of the essence. The sooner you
receive lifesaving care, the less
likely you are to experience death of
brain tissue and the better chance
you’ll have of achieving a successful
outcome. NewYork-Presbyterian
Brooklyn Methodist Hospital — in
partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine,
Columbia University Medical
Center, and the Fire Department of
New York (FDNY) — is home to one
of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s
three Mobile Stroke Treatment Units.
The unit is deployed via the FDNY
through New York City’s 911 system.
The MSTU emergency vehicle is
designed to provide immediate, specialized
care to people who may be
having a stroke — bringing NewYork
Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist’s
advanced technologies, expert
staff, and lifesaving stroke treatment
to more people in need.
Each MSTU is staffed by a highly
specialized team of two paramedics
from the Regional Emergency Medical
Services Council of New York
City, a computed tomography (CT)
technologist and a registered nurse.
A neurologist is consulted remotely
via telemedicine technology. This advancement
allows the physician to
speak with and view the patient and
provide a virtual assessment and recommendations
for care.
Fitted into the MSTU is a portable
CT scanner that can image a patient’s
brain on the spot to determine
the type of stroke the person may be
50 COURIER LIFE, MAY 3–9, 2019 M BR B G
having. The CT scan is then wirelessly
transmitted to a NewYork-Presbyterian
neuroradiologist, who evaluates
the scan in real-time to make
an accurate diagnosis. MSTUs also
contains equipment and medications
to treat strokes, including tPA — a
medication that works by dissolving
a blood clot and improving the flow of
oxygen-rich blood to the affected part
of the brain.
“Delivering life-saving stroke care
at your doorstep is a giant stride in
stroke treatment not yet seen in any
other field of medicine,” said Miran
Salgado, MD, chairman of neurosciences
at NYP Brooklyn Methodist.
“We are proud to be a leader in this
initiative that reduces death and disability
from devastating strokes.”
Health
High cholesterol can dramatically
affect a person’s long-term
health. According to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention,
people with high total cholesterol have
approximately twice the risk of developing
heart disease as people whose
cholesterol levels are ideal. And contrary
to what many people may think,
women are no less susceptible to high
cholesterol than men.
Cholesterol can be a confusing
topic. Though cholesterol has a bad
reputation, that stature can be somewhat
misleading. That’s because there
are two types of cholesterol, one of
which actually reduces a person’s risk
for heart disease and stroke. High-density
lipoprotein, often referred to as
“HDL” or “good” cholesterol, absorbs
low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol,
or “LDL,” and carries it back
to the liver, which then fl ushes it from
the body. High-density cholesterol accounts
for a minority of the body’s cholesterol.
Unfortunately, the majority of
cholesterol in the body is low-density,
high levels of which can contribute
to plaque buildup in the arteries, increasing
a person’s risk for heart disease
and stroke.
A 2015 report from the American
Heart Association indicated that more
than 73 million American adults have
high LDL cholesterol. The 2013 Canadian
Health Measures Survey found
that, between 2009 and 2011, the number
of Canadians with unhealthy levels
of LDL increased signifi cantly with
age, with 40 percent of men and women
between the ages of 40 and 59 suffering
from unhealthy levels.
Women may think that the presence
of the female sex hormone estrogen
can positively impact their cholesterol
levels. While estrogen tends to raise
HDL levels, its presence alone does
not mean women are out of the woods
with regard to cardiovascular disease,
including heart disease and stroke. In
fact, the Centers for Disease Control
notes that heart disease remains the
leading cause of death among women.
High cholesterol levels do not mean
women will automatically develop
heart disease, but those who receive
such a diagnosis should take the following
steps to lower their LDL levels
so they can live longer, healthier lives:
Eat right
Avoid foods that are high in fat, especially
saturated fats and trans fats.
The Heart Association notes that foods
that contain saturated fats contribute
to high levels of LDL. Fatty beef, lamb,
pork, poultry with skin, lard and
cream, butter, and cheese are just a
few of the foods that contain saturated
fats. Those foods all come from animal
sources, but many baked goods and
fried foods are also high in saturated
fat and should be avoided.
Fruits, vegetables and whole grains
are heart-healthy foods that can help
women lower their LDL levels and reduce
their risk for cardiovascular disease.
Exercise regularly
Routine physical activity can help
women lower their cholesterol levels,
especially when such exercise is
combined with a healthy diet. The Offi
ce on Women’s Health recommends
women get two hours and 30 minutes
of moderate-intensity aerobic activity
each week, or one hour and 15 minutes
of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
each week.
Speak with your physician to learn
which exercises are most appropriate
for someone in your condition. Women
who want to do more than aerobic activity
can still meet their exercise requirements
by combining moderate
and vigorous cardiovascular exercise
with muscle-strengthening activities
two or more days per week.
Quit smoking
Smoking can accelerate the damage
already being done by high cholesterol.
While research does not indicate
that smoking directly impacts
LDL levels, the toxins produced and
inhaled from cigarettes can modify
existing cholesterol, making it more
likely to cause infl ammation.
Cholesterol does not discriminate,
and women need to be just as mindful
as men when monitoring their total
cholesterol levels.