Ali's decision to take statins

Ali recently decided to follow the advice of his doctor and take statins as part of an effort to reduce his blood cholesterol levels.

He already knew that having a high blood cholesterol level can increase your risk of developing coronary heart disease. He was also aware that South Asian people living in the UK are one and a half times more likely to die from coronary heart disease before the age of 75 than the rest of the population.

"Heart disease and diabetes are both more common in South Asians, particularly for those who are living in the UK".

The shock of his brother having a heart attack in his thirties led Ali to speak with his GP. Test results showed that Ali had a high blood cholesterol level, and his doctor explained what this meant for him.

As Ali tells us in the video, "High cholesterol leads to the build up of fatty deposits in your arteries. They can starve the heart of oxygen rich blood which then puts you at risk of a stroke or heart attack".

Ali decided to follow the advice of his doctor and take the statin medicines he was prescribed, as part of an effort to help reduce his blood cholesterol levels.

Find out more about cholesterol

You can hear from Karen and Suzanne, who were also told they had high blood cholesterol, and find out what they do to lower their cholesterol levels.