If we have arranged for you to have a cholesterol test done this is usually to estimate the risk of you developing cardiovascular disease, i.e. having a heart attack or angina, in the next ten years.

You can calculate your risk, if you are aged between 35 and 75.

• You will need to know your latest blood pressure, cholesterol and HDL levels which we will be pleased to give you. Enter them in the relevant boxes, and the press RETURN.

You can drastically lower your risk by:

1. Stopping smoking

2. Minimising your salt intake (especially from processed foods)

3. Increasing your exercise to 30 minutes or more at least three times per week
 
4. Reducing your weight by avoiding eating between meals and replacing sweets and snacks by fruit.

5. Keeping your alcohol intake within recommended limits. Click here to work out the number of units in your drinks.

We normally consider a risk great than 20% to be ‘high risk’ then we would consider discussing treatment with statin drugs, and/or aspirin, to reduce your risk.

Existing ‘vascular’ disease

If you have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, or have angina, the calculator does not apply. In that case we would recommend you aim to keep your cholesterol level as low as possible, by 1-5 above, and often by statin drugs too.

What is a Statin?

Statins are drugs that help to reduce cholesterol levels and alter fat levels in the blood to more normal levels. They work by blocking an enzyme needed for cholesterol production, mostly in the liver. The aim is to reduce cholesterol levels by 20 to 25 per cent, or to below 5mmol/L. In fact the general approach these days is that the lower the cholesterol the better.

It's usually a long-term treatment - you may have to take it for the rest of your life. Studies have shown that daily treatment with a statin drug for people with heart or circulatory disease for five years or more reduces the risk of a major heart problem by about 30 per cent, with benefits obvious after about six months of treatment. The risk of a stroke is also reduced by up to 32 per cent.
Statins often have similar benefits for people with diabetes.

Tummy upsets, muscle aches and liver problems are among the commoner side effects of statins. They can't be used by people who have liver disease or a heavy alcohol intake, and we will normally check your liver function by a blood test annually.