High cholesterol is a condition whenrate cholesterol in in the blood melmorei limit normal. If left unchecked, excessive cholesterol can accumulate in the blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Cholesterol is a waxy fat that is produced by the liver. The body needs cholesterol to produce healthy cells and a number of hormones. Besides being produced by the liver, cholesterol can also be obtained from food.
Cholesterol in the blood is bound by proteins and forms lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins, namely: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which is commonly referred to as good cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) which is known as bad cholesterol.
Each type of lipoprotein has a different function for the body. HDL serves to carry excess cholesterol to the liver, while LDL is in charge of carrying cholesterol to the body's cells.
In addition to cholesterol, there are also other types of fat called triglycerides. While cholesterol is used to produce healthy cells and hormones, triglycerides are used by the body to produce energy.
Causes and Risk Factors of High Cholesterol
A person is at risk of developing high cholesterol if they lead an unhealthy lifestyle, such as smoking, consuming alcoholic beverages, or consuming fatty foods in excess.
The risk of high cholesterol is also greater in people with certain diseases, such as diabetes and kidney disease.
Symptoms and Complications of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is an asymptomatic condition, so sufferers often go unnoticed. Therefore, the way to find out whether you have high cholesterol or not is to undergo a cholesterol level test to a doctor.
Cholesterol level tests need to be done regularly, so that the risk of complications can be prevented. Some complications that can attack people with high cholesterol are stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart attack.
High Cholesterol Treatment and Prevention
The way to treat and prevent high cholesterol is to live a healthy lifestyle, such as exercising regularly, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and not smoking and consuming alcoholic beverages.
If a healthy lifestyle alone is not enough to lower cholesterol levels, patients are advised to take cholesterol-lowering drugs from a doctor.