High cholesterol is a common condition in the UK and can cause serious health problems if left untreated. Often dubbed a silent killer, it seldom shows symptoms until it is too late. However, when neglected, it can wreak havoc within the body.
Peripheral Arterial Disease and Its Warning Signs
One of the most serious health risks linked with high cholesterol is peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This condition develops when fatty cholesterol deposits build up in the arteries, limiting blood flow to the lower limbs. According to Doctor Sami Firoozi, Consultant Cardiologist at the Harley Street Clinic (part of HCA Healthcare UK), elevated cholesterol levels that trigger PAD can result in a distinct warning sign.
Doctor Firoozi cautioned that while PAD is not immediately life-threatening, the underlying process of atherosclerosis can progress to critical limb ischaemia. This potentially fatal condition occurs when blood flow to the legs becomes severely compromised. A revealing sign of this complication is the appearance of smelly pus on the toes. As Doctor Firoozi explained: "The skin on your toes or lower limbs becomes cold and numb, turning red and then black, begins to swell and produce smelly pus, causing severe pain (gangrene)."
Additional Severe Symptoms of Extremely High Cholesterol
- Mild to severe burning pain in your legs
- Hair loss on your legs and feet
- Numbness or weakness in the legs
- Brittle and slow-growing toenails
Further Symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease
- Ulcers on the feet and legs that do not heal
- Skin on the legs turning blue
- Shiny skin on the lower limbs
- Muscles in the legs shrinking
Dr Firoozi also pointed out that cholesterol can sometimes accumulate around the eyes, forming fatty, yellowish lumps. Anyone worried about their cholesterol levels should consult their local GP for guidance. A blood test will determine your total cholesterol, including good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which assists in removing bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from the body.
How to Combat High Cholesterol
Dr Firoozi advised: "High cholesterol can often be reduced by healthy eating and making lifestyle changes, such as increasing exercise, cutting back on alcohol and stopping smoking."
What Does Healthy Eating Entail?
According to cholesterol charity Heart UK, replacing saturated fats in your diet with unsaturated fats is an excellent starting point. This means ditching processed foods laden with saturated fats, such as sausages and bacon, in favour of unsaturated fats found in foods such as avocado and oily fish. Other sources of unsaturated fats include vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, corn, rapeseed, nut and seed oils, as well as nuts and seeds.
