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Patient information

Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. Call 111 when we are closed and it cannot wait.

PATIENT INFORMATION

Your cholesterol result

Your cholesterol is higher than ideal. Your overall chance of a heart attack or stroke is low, so you do not need tablets.

What this result means

Cholesterol is one of several things that add up to your chance of a heart attack or stroke.

Your cholesterol is higher than ideal. But we also looked at your age, blood pressure, smoking and family history. Put together, your risk over the next 10 years is low.

5 out of 100 people like you would have a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years

Tablets make the biggest difference when the risk is higher. That is why we are not recommending them for you now.

What we have done

Your GP has reviewed the result and recorded it. You do not need an appointment.

Your score is repeated every 5 years, or sooner if your health changes. You do not need another cholesterol test before then.

What you can do

These lower your cholesterol and, more importantly, lower your overall risk. Pick the one you can keep up.

Do

  • stop smoking if you smoke, which helps more than anything else
  • move more, aiming for 150 minutes a week that leaves you a bit out of breath
  • swap butter, fatty meat and pastry for olive oil, oily fish, nuts, beans and oats
  • keep to a healthy weight
  • keep alcohol within 14 units a week

If you would rather take a tablet

Some people prefer a statin even when their risk is low. A parent who had a heart attack young is a common reason.

NICE supports that choice. Read what a statin does, then contact the surgery if you decide you want one.

Read about deciding on a statin

Immediate action required: Call 999 now if you have:

  • chest pain at rest, or chest pain lasting more than 15 minutes
  • sudden weakness or numbness in the face or one arm
  • sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech

Non-urgent advice: Contact the surgery if:

  • you get chest pain or tightness when you walk uphill or hurry
  • you become breathless doing things that were fine before
  • a parent, brother or sister under 60 has a heart attack or stroke

More information

NHS.UKHigh cholesterol: causes, tests and treatmentwww.nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/ British Heart FoundationHigh cholesterol explainedwww.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-cholesterol

Reviewed 26 August 2026 ยท next review 26 February 2027