Cholesterol: the silent killer

It was after the shattering loss of her 33-year-old son to cancer three years ago that Rosemary Cross decided that she and her family should have a health screen. The 63-year-old Lisburn grandmother who doesn`t drink or smoke and who considered her lifestyle as fairly healthy was shocked to discover that she and her two daughters had high cholesterol.

Rosemary had no idea that high cholesterol could put her and her girls at risk of heart disease and stroke as over time, it can cause narrowing of the blood vessels.

According to the Department of Health, these circulatory conditions accounted for almost a third of all deaths in Northern Ireland in the last year – and they`re not the sole province of the chain-smoking, fry-eating, obese male; in fact, during 2012, stroke killed more women here than men.

Ahead of World Stroke Day on October 29, Rosemary hopes her experience will serve as a timely reminder to people to keep a check on their cholesterol levels.

Stroke is the most common cause of death in Europe. In Northern Ireland 4,000 people have strokes every year – that`s 12 every day.

One in six of us will have a stroke in our lifetimes so it is vital that everyone knows about stroke. Stroke, contrary to common belief, can happen to anyone, of any age. It happens suddenly and without warning.

High cholesterol is a common cause. Cholesterol is a rather unpleasant sticky yellow substance, manufactured by the body from the foods we eat, mainly the saturated fats from animals.

Cholesterol is vital for a range of functions in the body including metabolism, production of hormones and cardiovascular health.

But it is when levels rise that it becomes a problem, furring up the blood vessels. Rosemary didn`t know just how high her cholesterol was, until her health check. She says: "I had my health profiled as part of a corporate package through my ex-husband`s business, Delta Packaging.

"I honestly didn`t think anything was wrong with me. I wasn`t entirely happy with my weight, but show me a woman who is? I keep active – running after the grandchildren – and I eat quite healthily, so I thought I was ok.

"A safe level is anything up to five and mine was off the scale at 9.4. Two of my children Sinead (32) and Lisa (35) also had high readings. Sinead`s was 6.7 and Lisa`s was 7.2. Thankfully my son Patrick (38) who keeps fit was ok. His was 5.

"We have all started to exercise and cut out fatty foods to try to bring our cholesterol levels down."

Rosemary would never have dreamed of having her cholesterol tested but for the traumatic experience of losing her 33-year-old son David to skin cancer three years ago.

David had attended the doctor with a spot on his head which was initially diagnosed as a wart.