High Blood Cholesterol
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a compound found in every cell of the body. It builds new cells, but if the cholesterol level in the blood is high, fatty deposits will form inside the walls of the blood vessels, which will eventually impede blood flow in the arteries.
Types of Cholesterol
There are three different types of cholesterol:
1. Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL): This type travels through the body via the blood and accumulates on the artery walls, making them harder and narrower.
2. Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL): This type of protein contains the largest amount of triglycerides, a type of fat that binds to proteins in the blood. The accumulation of cholesterol particles makes them larger, leading to the narrowing of blood vessels.
- If you are taking medication to lower your cholesterol but blood test results show high levels, you may need an additional medication to reduce your cholesterol, as it is very high in triglycerides.
3. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL): This type collects excess cholesterol and returns it to the liver.
Symptoms of High Cholesterol
There are no symptoms of high cholesterol in the blood, and elevated cholesterol levels are only detected through a blood test.
Causes and Risk Factors of High Cholesterol
Cholesterol moves through the blood vessels by binding to specific proteins in the blood. This combination of proteins and cholesterol is medically known as lipoproteins. The factors affecting cholesterol levels include:
1- Controllable Factors Affecting Cholesterol: Several controllable factors contribute to raising LDL cholesterol and lowering HDL cholesterol, including:
- Smoking: Cigarette smoking damages the walls of blood vessels, making them more prone to fatty deposits. Smoking can also lower HDL cholesterol levels.
- Excess Weight: If the body mass index (BMI) is over 30, the risk of high cholesterol levels increases.
- Poor Diet: Foods high in cholesterol, such as red meat, full-fat dairy products, and foods rich in trans fats, raise cholesterol levels.
- Lack of Physical Activity: Physical activity helps increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol.
2. Uncontrollable Factors: Other factors that cannot be controlled can affect cholesterol levels in the blood, including:
- Genetics: Genetic factors can prevent body cells from effectively eliminating excess LDL cholesterol or cause the liver to produce excessive amounts of cholesterol.
3.Additional Risk Factors
These groups include:
- High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure damages the artery walls, accelerating the accumulation of fatty deposits. Read More
- Diabetes: High blood sugar levels lead to increased LDL cholesterol and decreased HDL cholesterol.
- Family History: If a parent or sibling had heart disease before age 50, high cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease.
Complications of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis, a dangerous buildup of cholesterol and other deposits on the artery walls. These plaques can reduce blood flow in the arteries, leading to:
- Chest Pain: If the affected arteries supply blood to the heart.
- Blood Clots: A blood clot can obstruct blood flow or break off and block another artery. If blood supply to the heart is stopped, it can cause a heart attack. If blood flow to the brain is interrupted, it can cause a stroke.
Diagnosis of High Cholesterol
A blood test measuring cholesterol levels typically shows:
- Total cholesterol level
- LDL cholesterol level
- HDL cholesterol level
- Triglyceride level
Treatment for High Cholesterol
Treatment includes:
1. Lifestyle Changes: The first steps in treating high cholesterol involve making lifestyle changes, such as:
- Regular physical activity
- Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet
2. Medication: If lifestyle changes are insufficient to lower LDL cholesterol, your doctor may recommend medication. The choice of medication or combination of medications depends on several factors, including your risk factors, age, current health status, and potential side effects.
Common medications for treating cholesterol include:
- Statins: The most common medication for lowering LDL cholesterol, inhibiting the liver's production of cholesterol.
- Bile Acid Binding Resins: The liver uses cholesterol to produce bile acids necessary for digestion. These drugs inhibit this process.
- Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors: These drugs prevent the small intestine from absorbing cholesterol from food, releasing it into the bloodstream.
If your triglyceride levels are high, cholesterol treatment may include:
- Fibrates
- Niacin
- Combination of Niacin and Statins
Most of these drugs do not have serious side effects, but their effectiveness varies from person to person. If you decide to take medication for high cholesterol, your doctor may recommend regular liver function tests to monitor the effects of these drugs on your liver.
Preventing High Cholesterol
Key tips for preventing high cholesterol include:
- Engage in daily physical activity.
- Avoid all tobacco products, which can reduce your risk of high cholesterol.
- Lose excess weight.
- Eat a healthy diet, as foods high in dietary fiber have similar efficacy to statins in lowering cholesterol levels.
- Avoid foods containing trans fats.
- Choose whole grain foods, which contain various substances that help maintain heart health.
- Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Eat healthy fish, as many types of fish contain lower levels of fats and cholesterol compared to meat and poultry.
Alternative Treatments
Although few natural products have proven effectiveness in lowering cholesterol levels, some may be effective with your doctor's approval, including:
- Artichoke
- Barley
- Psyllium
- Garlic
- Oat bran
