Elevated levels of harmful cholesterol remain the single most important risk factor for strokes and heart attacks, though visible signs are rare. For this reason, routine lipid testing becomes important for adults over 40. A respected cardiology educator, Dr. Vadim Zakiev from the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine of the Russian State University of Social Sciences, emphasizes the value of checking lipid profiles through a simple blood test.
Typically, high cholesterol does not present noticeable symptoms. Therefore, laboratory assessment is essential for anyone over 40 to screen for disorders in how the body handles lipids. The standard lipid panel consults total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Yet when cholesterol remains elevated for a long period, certain physical changes can appear in the form of colored, flat patches known as xanthomas, which most often show up on the eyelids. A corneal arc may also develop, and lipid deposits can accumulate around the cornea, according to Dr. Zakiev.
These changes frequently occur in people with familial hyperlipidemia, a hereditary condition that drives markedly higher cholesterol levels at a younger age and can precipitate premature heart disease or stroke. Dr. Zakiev notes that elevated cholesterol is usually first detected after a cardiovascular event such as chest pain or a heart attack, underscoring why preventive screening holds real value for individuals across ages and backgrounds.
Earlier discussions by cardiology specialists highlighted a medication capable of substantially reducing one dangerous cholesterol form, achieving as much as a ninety five percent decrease in its level, illustrating how treatment advances can alter risk trajectories for patients diagnosed with lipid disorders.