When Lifestyle Changes Don’t Control Cholesterol Medication may be a must to protect your heart health, even if you’re doing everything else right. January 20, 2021 You take care of yourself. You exercise. You limit the booze, fried fare, and sweet stuff, too. So, why, you ask yourself in the mirror with more than a little frustration, is your cholesterol so out of whack? High cholesterol, or hyperlipidemia, drives up your risk of a heart attack and stroke. It can be a silent killer, since it has no symptoms. Scary as that sounds, you have it in your power to bring your cholesterol back down. Some people can curb high cholesterol by living healthier lives. But the truth is, if you have high cholesterol, you’ll likely need to take medication, too. The good news? Doing so can save your life.