High cholesterol
Overview
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Your
body desires cholesterol to create healthy cells, however high levels of
cholesterol will increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
With high cholesterol, you'll be able to develop fatty
deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, creating it
troublesome for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Sometimes, those
deposits will break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
High cholesterol are often inheritable , however it's
typically the results of unhealthy life style selections, that make it
preventable and treatable. A healthy diet, regular exercise and sometimes
medication will facilitate cut back high cholesterol.
Symptoms
High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is that the
only way to observe if you've got it.
When to examine a doctor
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI), an individual's 1st cholesterol screening should occur between the
ages of nine and eleven, then be repeated each 5 years at that time.
The NHLBI recommends that cholesterol screenings occur each
one to 2 years for men ages forty five to sixty five and for ladies ages fifty
five to sixty five. individuals over sixty five ought to receive cholesterol
tests annually.
If your take a look at results are not within desirable
ranges, your doctor may recommend more-frequent measurements. Your doctor may
additionally recommend more-frequent tests if you've got a case history of high
cholesterol, heart disease or other risk factors, like diabetes or high blood
pressure.
Causes
Cholesterol is carried through your blood, connected to
proteins. this mixture of proteins and cholesterol is named a lipoprotein.
There are differing kinds of cholesterol, based on what the compound protein
carries. They are:
• Low-density
lipoprotein (LDL). LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, transports cholesterol
particles throughout your body. ldl cholesterol builds up within the walls of
your arteries, creating them hard and narrow.
• High-density
lipoprotein (HDL). HDL, the "good" steroid alcohol, picks up excess
steroid alcohol and takes it back to your liver.
A lipid profile additionally generally measures
triglycerides, a kind of fat within the blood. Having a high triglyceride level
can also increase your risk of heart disease.
Factors you'll be able to management — like inactivity,
obesity and an unhealthy diet — contribute to harmful cholesterol and
triglyceride levels. Factors beyond your control may play a role, too. for
example, your genetic buildup may make it tougher for your body to remove ldl
cholesterol from your blood or break it down within the liver.
Medical conditions that may cause unhealthy steroid alcohol
levels include:
• Chronic
nephrosis
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Hypothyroidism
• Lupus
Cholesterol levels can even be worsened by some forms of
medications you will be taking for alternative health issues, such as:
• Acne
• Cancer
• High blood
pressure
• HIV/AIDS
• Irregular
heart rhythms
• Organ
transplants
Risk factors
Factors that may increase your risk of unhealthy cholesterol
levels include:
• Poor diet.
consumption an excessive amount of saturated fat or trans fats may result in
unhealthy cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in fatty cuts of meat
and full-fat dairy products. Trans fats are often found in packaged snacks or desserts.
• Obesity.
Having a body mass index (BMI) of thirty or larger puts you in danger of high
cholesterol.
• Lack of
exercise. Exercise helps boost your body's hdl, the "good,"
cholesterol.
• Smoking.
cigarette smoking could lower your level of hdl, the "good,"
cholesterol.
• Alcohol.
Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol will increase your total cholesterol
level.
• Age. Even
young kids will have unhealthy cholesterol, however it's far more common in
individuals over forty. As you age, your liver becomes less able to take away
ldl cholesterol.
Complications
High cholesterol will cause a dangerous accumulation of
cholesterol and other deposits on the walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis).
These deposits (plaques) will reduce blood flow through your arteries, which
might cause complications, such as:
• Chest
pain. If the arteries that provide your heart with blood (coronary arteries)
are affected, you may have chest pain (angina) and other symptoms of coronary
artery disease.
• Heart
attack. If plaques tear or rupture, a blood clot will form at the
plaque-rupture site — blocking the flow of blood or breaking free and plugging
an artery downstream. If blood flow to a part of your heart stops, you'll have
a heart attack.
• Stroke.
the same as a heart attack, a stroke happens once a blood blocks blood flow to
a part of your brain.
Prevention
The same heart-healthy life style changes {that can which will
that lower your cholesterol can help prevent you from having high cholesterol
within the 1st place. to assist prevent high cholesterol, you can:
• Eat a
low-salt diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Limit the
quantity of animal fats and use smart fats carefully
• Lose
further pounds and maintain a healthy weight
• Quit
smoking
• Exercise
on most days of the week for cholesterol half-hour
• Drink
alcohol carefully, if at all
• Manage
stress