Lipid - How do we deal with it?

Panel of experts speaking at the media briefing held at SLMA recently
(Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi)

By Manjula D. Phillips

According to  research done by the Ministry of Health,  most deaths that have been recorded in the past few years were due to heart attacks and strokes in Sri Lanka, and the reason for this is cholesterol. The number of patients  recorded in 2015 had doubled by 2021

This was revealed to the media at a  briefing titled: “Lipid – How to tackle?” which was conducted recently at the Sri Lanka Medical Association Colombo.

The medical experts have identified diet, lack of exercise, and genetic reasons as the main causes of crisis.

Speaking at the media briefing,  Prof. Ms. Thushara Matthias who is a Consultant Physician and  also a specialist in Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said: 

“Cholesterol is a type of lipid and is essential for our body. But when it exceeds the limit,  it becomes harmful as it lingers in human blood vessels. It affects  the blood flow and that is when you get heart attacks and strokes.

“Cholesterol has several varieties. It is LDL variety that we identify as bad for human body. It is through lipid profile that we can identify cholesterol. At the initial stage,  non–fasting lipid profile is sufficient to identify cholesterol. But sometimes we need fasting lipid profile. But we cannot tell exactly by examining the lipid profile whether a patient needs medication or modifications from life style would be enough. We use CVD risk to identify the disease. We evaluate through it the possibility of getting a heart attack or stroke for a certain time period. When we consider preventing the cholesterol,  three key facts are there. Those are diet, exercises and medications. When we talk about medications,  we use them to control LDL and we give LDL targets to patients. 

“Once a medical officer advises to take medicine it is important to continue the medications to control cholesterol. It is very important to achieve these LDL targets for a patient. The LDL target must be checked with the lipid profile. In countries like Sri Lanka only 10%-20% patients reach these LDL targets because many avoid taking prescribed medicine.  It is very vital to reach these LDL targets. The LDL targets should be checked along with the lipid profiles in order to prescribe medication for patients, and patients are usually avoiding to check lipid profiles regularly as to check whether they have reached these LDL targets,  that is the other major reason”. She underscored. 

“It is very important to reduce cholesterol in the blood .It is LDL cholesterol that we are concerned of and basically  depending on the condition of the patient,  we decide as to how much LDL cholesterol level should be there for that particular patient. Statins is the best medicine we have to control cholesterol,  and no one should be afraid to use it as it the best medicine we have in terms of having side effects. Too much exercises is not good for heart patients. You can do moderate intensity exercises 30-40 minutes 4-5 days per week to prevent cholesterol,”  Speaking at the briefing,  Cardiologist   Dr. Chandrike Ponnamperuma said.  

“When you have diabetes,  it increases the possibility of having heart attacks and strokes by 4 times because LDL cholesterol get easily retained in the blood vessels of diabetic patients more than in a normal person. When you have diabetes,  it is very important to control your sugar level as well as cholesterol levels as suggested by the medical officer, ”Endoctrinologist and Diabetologist Dr. Manilka Sumanatilleke urged.