What Is Cholesterol and How Does It Impact My Blood Pressure?

Cholesterol and blood pressure are two modifiable critical factors influencing cardiovascular health. Understanding their relationship can help you take proactive steps to manage your overall heart health.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a lipid (fatty-like substance) that is found in every cell of your body. Although some is necessary, too much of the wrong type can increase your risk of stroke and heart attacks. 

Cholesterol is produced by your liver and is generally found in animal-based foods that are high in saturated and trans fats, such as meat and dairy products. 

LDL (“Bad” cholesterol): Can lead to the build-up of fatty deposits in arteries, worsening heart health. 

HDL (“Good” cholesterol): Helps to remove the bad cholesterol. Higher HDL levels are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. 

Cholesterol plays several vital roles in the body, including:

• Cell membranes: Cholesterol is a key component of all cell membranes, providing stability. 
• Hormone production: It helps with the production of oestrogen, testosterone, and cortisol.
• Vitamin D synthesis: Cholesterol is necessary for the production of vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

Will I Get Any Symptoms That My Cholesterol Is Raised?

Raised cholesterol rarely has any signs or symptoms and is often only discovered when having a blood test. 

Some people may notice:

• Xanthelasma: Cholesterol deposits on the eyelids that appear as yellow slightly raised patches.
• Xanthomas: Yellow cholesterol deposits under the skin, mainly found around the eyes, tendons, elbows and knees. 

If cholesterol is raised it can cause symptoms due to complications which include angina, heart attacks and strokes as well as peripheral vascular disease which gives symptoms such as pain in the legs on walking and ulcers

How Does Cholesterol Impact My Blood Pressure?

Raised LDL cholesterol can affect your blood pressure in a few ways, including:

• Plaque build-up in arteries: Excess LDL cholesterol can accumulate on the walls of your arteries, forming plaques. These plaques then narrow the arteries- known as atherosclerosis. Narrowed arteries restrict blood flow, forcing the heart to pump harder, increasing blood pressure.
• Stiff arteries: Plaque build-up can make arteries stiff, leading to hypertension.
• Inflammation: High cholesterol can trigger inflammation within the arteries, further contributing to arterial damage and high blood pressure.

Then, when you have high blood pressure – it can damage arterial walls making it easier for cholesterol to form plaques, compounding the problem. 

The INTERMAP study showed that raised cholesterol was directly linked to Systolic (top figure) BP and that a reduction in cholesterol could reduce blood pressure [1].

How Can I lower My Cholesterol?

Lifestyle changes can be very effective at improving BOTH cholesterol and blood pressure! 

• Diet: Rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins with limited intake of saturated and trans fats. A DASH diet can help – see our blog here.
• Exercise: Regular activity, ideally 30 minutes of moderate activity daily, helps to lower your LDL cholesterol and BP and may help increase your HDL. You can read our blog on HIIT here.
• Stop smoking: Smoking can make your LDL more ‘sticky’, stopping can, within days, have a positive impact on your cholesterol levels. 

You may also need to consider medications, such as statins, if your health practitioner advises to do so. 

Why Is It Important to Lower My LDL cholesterol Levels?

High cholesterol and high BP put you at an increased risk of serious heart events such as stroke or heart attacks. Both are modifiable with lifestyle changes, and medications if necessary, helping to reduce your risk of heart disease and improving your general wellbeing.

If you are worried about your blood pressure or cholesterol you can speak to your GP or use ‘My Blood Pressure’ to track and help you understand your BP. 

References:

1. Masaru S et al. Relationship of dietary Cholesterol to Blood pressure: The INTERMAP study. J Hypertens. 2011 Feb; 29(2):222-228.