Know Your Cholesterol, Protect Your Heart

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, making it a good time to learn how cholesterol affects your heart health. High cholesterol often has no noticeable symptoms, so you may not know there’s a problem until it contributes to a serious health event. Knowing your numbers and taking steps to manage them can help lower your risk.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by your liver. Your body needs it to make hormones and help digest fatty foods. But too much cholesterol in your blood can cause problems.

A cholesterol test, also called a lipid panel, measures several types of cholesterol and fats:

  • LDL (“bad”) cholesterol: High levels can cause plaque to build up in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • HDL (“good”) cholesterol: Higher levels can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Triglycerides: A type of fat in your blood. High triglycerides combined with high LDL or low HDL can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
  • Total cholesterol: A measurement based on your HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels.

Why High Cholesterol Matters

High cholesterol can cause plaque to build up inside your arteries over time. As plaque accumulates, arteries can narrow or become blocked, reducing blood flow and increasing your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are different conditions, but they often occur together and can significantly increase your risk of cardiovascular problems.

Because high cholesterol usually has no warning signs, regular screening is important. Talk with your healthcare provider about how often you should have your cholesterol checked. For many people, testing at least every five years is recommended unless their provider advises more frequent testing.

Take Steps to Protect Your Heart

You can make lifestyle changes that may help prevent or manage high cholesterol:

  • Choose heart-healthy foods: Limit saturated and trans fats and choose more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and foods with unsaturated fats.
  • Stay active: Regular physical activity can help improve cholesterol, maintain a healthy weight, and lower blood pressure.
  • Maintain a healthy weight: Excess weight can contribute to higher LDL cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Don’t smoke: Smoking damages blood vessels and increases your risk of heart disease.
  • Limit alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
  • Know your family history: High cholesterol can run in families. Share your family history with your healthcare provider.

For some people, lifestyle changes may not be enough to reach healthy cholesterol levels. Medications, including statins, may be recommended based on your individual risk factors and health history.

Source: cdc.gov 

Lower Your Cholesterol for Less

If your healthcare provider recommends medication to help manage your cholesterol, you may be able to save with the Trust’s Tier 0 prescription benefit. Certain cholesterol-lowering medications are available with a $0 copay when filled at a Trust Custom Network Pharmacy.

Tier 0 includes:

  • Simvastatin – all strengths
  • Rosuvastatin calcium – 5 mg and 10 mg

These medications have been shown to be safe and effective for many people and may provide similar benefits to other, more expensive options.

How to get started:

  1. Talk with your doctor about the medication that’s right for you.
  2. If appropriate, ask your doctor for a prescription for a Tier 0 medication.
  3. Fill your prescription at a Trust Custom Network Pharmacy and pay $0.

Check your formulary to see which tier applies to your medications and find a list of Trust Custom Network Pharmacies:

Visit Forms & Documents and select Pharmacy Information

Prescription required. Coverage is subject to the Trust’s prescription plan.