Dyslipidaemia / High Cholesterol

Dyslipidaemia is a risk factor for:

• Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
• Peripheral arterial disease
• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Some research suggests that people who have dyslipidaemia before they get COVID-19 are more likely to have severe symptoms and have a higher risk of needing hospitalization and intensive care, especially if they are older and have other diseases (also known as multimorbidity).
• Social distancing, lockdowns, and quarantines can affect cholesterol levels in many ways, mostly due to lifestyle factors that affect your weight, physical activity levels, diet, and amount of smoking.
• It may be more difficult to exercise due to public health restrictions. Gyms, sports clubs, and swimming pools may be closed. Grocery shopping may also be affected, and some people might snack more often or drink more alcohol than usual. Research suggests that in the first wave of the pandemic smoking prevalence increased and some people smoked more than they did before the pandemic. However, this depends on individual characteristics of the person and more research is needed.
• Therefore, it is important to try to maintain a healthy BMI through eating well and increasing your physical activity levels to help control cholesterol levels during the pandemic.