How to Prevent the Buildup of Cholesterol in Your Artery Walls

Atherosclerosis is the medical term for the waxy buildup that occurs on your artery walls, leading to what’s colloquially called “hardening of the arteries.” It can increase your risk for adverse medical events like heart attack and stroke.

At Northwest Houston Heart Center, cardiologists Dr. A. Adnan Aslam and Dr. Roy Norman stress the importance of maintaining healthy cholesterol levels to prevent coronary artery disease (CAD) from developing. This condition results from buildup of plaque on the walls of the arteries leading to the heart.

If you can prevent plaque buildup, you reduce your risk for coronary artery disease, heart attack, and other heart-related issues. Here, our team describes how to do just that.

The two faces of cholesterol

Cholesterol is important for building cell walls and other cellular functions, but your body produces all it needs. We end up with excess cholesterol because we also consume it in our diet, mostly from animal sources like eggs and butter. It primarily exists in two forms:

1. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

LDL cholesterol is called the "bad" cholesterol because it can build up on the artery walls, making them hard and narrow.

2. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol

HDL cholesterol is called the "good" cholesterol because it picks up extra cholesterol in the bloodstream and returns it to the liver. The liver breaks it down and passes it out of the body.

Trans fats are produced by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil to make the oil solid at room temperature. They’re often used in baked goods to increase their shelf life, and are found in deep-fried foods from doughnuts to fried chicken. The problem is, trans fat raises LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL cholesterol, making a heart attack or stroke more likely.

Preventing plaque buildup in your arteries

If you’ve already developed CAD, or if you have an increased risk because of a family history, your doctor may need to prescribe medication to lower your cholesterol levels and/or your blood pressure. However, you can be proactive and prevent the buildup from happening in the first place.

You can prevent or delay atherosclerosis by reducing risk factors, predominantly by adopting a lifestyle that includes a healthy diet, losing excess weight, being physically active, and not smoking.

A healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet, includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, seafood, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. You should also limit sodium, refined sugars and grains, and trans fats.

Exercise is important, too. According to the CDC, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week and include two days of muscle-strengthening activity. Exercise benefits all of your systems, and it reduces your cholesterol levels and improves your heart’s function.

Want to learn more about how you can prevent cholesterol buildup and CAD? Give Northwest Houston Heart Center a call at one of our locations — in Tomball, The Woodlands, Magnolia, or Cypress, Texas, or book online today. You can also text us at 832-402-9518.