High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two major risk factors for heart disease. While they affect the body differently, they’re closely connected, and when they occur together, they greatly raise the chances of heart attack, stroke, and other serious conditions. “High blood pressure” refers to the consistently elevated level of force as your blood tries to push through your arteries; “high cholesterol” refers to elevated levels of “bad” (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) cholesterol in your blood that can clog your arteries.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is responsible for about 1 in every 5 deaths each year. It often develops silently over time, without pain, warning signs, or obvious symptoms, so it’s important to understand what can put you at a higher risk for developing it.
Two of the most common and preventable contributors to heart disease–particularly in Oklahoma–are high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Although these terms are closely related and often used together, they are two different conditions that indicate the health of your heart and blood vessels.
The expert team at CardioVascular Health Clinic offers comprehensive care for patients with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, using a blend of innovative diagnostics and personalized treatments. With a focus on whole-person wellness, our specialists tailor each plan to your unique needs, combining minimally invasive procedures, cutting-edge medications, and preventive care strategies. Our commitment to early detection, precise treatment, and long-term management empowers our patients to better protect their heart health and significantly lower their risk for life-threatening cardiovascular events.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, happens when the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high. This puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels, sort of like water flowing too forcefully through a garden hose.
Your blood pressure reading has two numbers: the top number (systolic) measures pressure when your heart beats, and the bottom number (diastolic) measures pressure when your heart rests between beats. A normal reading is usually around 120/80 mmHg. Anything consistently over 130/80 mmHg is considered high.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly half of U.S. adults — about 48% — have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know it. That’s what makes it so dangerous. Left untreated, it can lead to serious problems like heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, and vision loss.
There’s no single cause of high blood pressure. It can be related to genetics, poor diet, stress, being overweight, lack of exercise, or certain medical conditions. Often, it’s a combination of factors.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance your body needs to build cells and make hormones. It becomes a problem when there’s too much of the “bad” kind — called LDL, or low-density lipoprotein — circulating in your blood.
Too much LDL cholesterol can stick to the walls of your arteries and form plaque, which narrows the space for blood to flow. This condition is called atherosclerosis, and it can increase your risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other serious issues.
There’s also “good” cholesterol — high-density lipoprotein — that helps remove excess LDL from your bloodstream.
High cholesterol often doesn’t cause symptoms, which is why regular blood tests are important. Nearly 35% of U.S. adults have elevated total cholesterol, which is greater than 200 mg/dL. And 10% of U.S. adults have total cholesterol levels of more than 240 mg/dL, putting them at substantial risk for cardiovascular disease.
High levels of cholesterol can have several causes. Some people are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol levels. Others develop it because of lifestyle habits, like a diet high in saturated fats, smoking, or not getting enough physical activity. Age can play a role as well as certain medical conditions, like diabetes or thyroid disorders.
It’s easy to confuse high blood pressure and high cholesterol because they both affect your heart and blood vessels and they’re often referred to in conjunction with each other. But they’re actually quite different.
You can have one condition without the other, or both at the same time. They have different causes, different numbers to watch, and different treatment approaches. But even though they’re separate issues, they often occur together, and that’s where the risk increases.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol don’t just share risk factors. They also work together to damage your arteries. Here’s how.
When you have high cholesterol, plaque can start to build up along your artery walls, narrowing and stiffening the space where blood can flow in a process called atherosclerosis. That narrowing makes it harder for your heart to pump blood effectively, which raises your blood pressure.
On the flip side, if you already have high blood pressure, that constant force against your artery walls can cause tiny injuries. Those damaged areas are the perfect spot for cholesterol to settle and form plaque buildup.
In other words, one condition can make the other worse. Together, they create a dangerous cycle that increases your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular complications.
The combination of high blood pressure and high cholesterol can put your heart under tremendous strain. Over time, this can:
Most concerning is that both conditions are known as silent killers, because they rarely cause symptoms until serious damage has already been done. That’s why prevention, early detection, and regular monitoring are so important. You don’t want to wait and react only when something feels wrong; you want to protect your heart long before that point.
The good news is that high blood pressure and high cholesterol are both manageable — and often preventable.
Here’s how you can take charge of your heart health, including your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels:
Living a healthy lifestyle is not about being perfect; small, sustainable changes really do add up over time and can make a big difference in improving your health.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two of the most common threats to heart health, and they often go hand in hand. While they each affect the body in different ways, combined together, they can have a serious impact on your health. With the right tools, information, and support, however, both conditions can be managed, and by taking steps to care for your heart today, you’re protecting your future.
At CardioVascular Health Clinic, our multidisciplinary team of interventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and specialized providers works together to diagnose, treat, and manage chronic conditions like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Using advanced imaging and diagnostic technologies, we can accurately assess cardiovascular risk and create customized treatment plans that work for your life. With an approach that combines state-of-the-art medical therapies with preventive strategies, we help patients across Oklahoma not only control these conditions but also reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other complications through lifestyle counseling, medication management, and continuous monitoring.If you haven’t had your blood pressure or cholesterol checked recently, it’s time to schedule a visit with your doctor. Reach out to the team at CardioVascular Health Clinic and take the first step toward better health.
