Latinos and High Cholesterol: The Chancla We Don’t See Coming

High cholesterol is a silent epidemic among Latinos, and one that is treatable if diagnosed.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, 49.3% of Hispanics were unaware they had high cholesterol, and only 29.5% received treatment.

That means many Latinos are at risk of heart attacks, heart disease, strokes, and other serious health complications without realizing what’s at stake.

Exercise and Weight Don’t Always Fix the Problem

There’s a common misconception that if you work out and eat well, you’re not at risk for high cholesterol. In reality, many silent factors contribute to high cholesterol levels, including genetics.

These health myths can become barriers that prevent people from taking proactive steps to avoid complications that may develop from unmanaged cholesterol levels.

“The increase in the amount of cholesterol in your blood is something that there are no symptoms for until you have a blockage or until you have a heart attack,” said Celina Gorre, Chief Executive Officer of WomenHeart, an organization dedicated to supporting women with heart disease.

Good Cholesterol vs. Bad Cholesterol

There’s good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL) and bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL).

Bad cholesterol builds up in your arteries, potentially leading to heart attacks and strokes.

Good cholesterol helps remove excess bad cholesterol from your bloodstream by carrying it back to the liver.

Gorre calls bad cholesterol “the free-flowing gunk” in our blood.

“If there’s too much of it, it’ll start to pool, compact, and harden into plaque,” said Gorre. “That buildup is what causes blockages that can lead to heart attacks.”

Testing Your Cholesterol Is Essential

Gorre says it’s never too early to start monitoring your cardiovascular health. Lifestyle habits, genetics, and underlying medical conditions can all contribute to high LDL, or bad cholesterol.

Some of the most common causes include:

Lifestyle Habits

• Poor diet: Eating foods high in saturated and trans fats.
• Physical inactivity: Lack of exercise can lower good cholesterol levels.
• Smoking: Damages blood vessels and lowers good cholesterol.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: Can increase triglyceride levels.
• Stress: Chronic stress can affect hormone levels and increase cholesterol production.

Genetics and Biology

• Genetics: Inherited conditions can cause high LDL cholesterol levels, even in young adults.
• Age: As we get older, the liver is less efficient at removing bad cholesterol from the bloodstream.
• Underlying illnesses: Conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, HIV/AIDS, and hypothyroidism can negatively affect how the body processes cholesterol.

Gorre recommends monitoring your heart health starting in your 20s. Regular blood tests can help assess your risk of heart disease and stroke, while also providing guidance on how to keep bad cholesterol low and good cholesterol high.

The total cholesterol number you receive from your doctor is the sum of your good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, and 20% of your triglyceride level, according to WomenHeart.

How to Read Your Test Results

Triglycerides are fats that come from the food we eat.

Your total cholesterol should generally be below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Ideally:

• LDL (bad cholesterol): Below 100 mg/dL
• HDL (good cholesterol): 60 mg/dL or higher
• Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL

Heart Disease Is Preventable

A healthy heart and lower cholesterol are within reach for most of us.

“80% of heart disease is preventable,” said Gorre. “Even if you have a genetic predisposition.”

The worst enemy of high cholesterol is being undiagnosed.

“LDL and HDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides.”– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“‘The ‘Hispanic paradox’: Does a decades-old finding still hold up?.”– American Heart Association.