subject: Reasons Why High Blood Cholesterol Is Dangerous [print this page] Cholesterol, like fat, cannot travel through the bloodstream on its own because it is mixed with water. The bloodstream carries cholesterol in particles called lipoproteins that are transmitted by blood, such as cargo trucks delivering cholesterol to various body tissues to be used, stored or excreted. Nevertheless, too much of this circulating cholesterol can injure arteries, especially the coronary arteries supplying the heart. This leads to the accumulation of cholesterol-laden plaque in vessel walls, a condition called atherosclerosis.
When it impedes the flow of blood to the heart, the heart muscle becomes starved for oxygen, causing chest pain (angina). If a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery affected by atherosclerosis, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or death can occur.
Are you at risk? Cardiovascular disease is still one of the major health problems affecting the West. According to the American Heart Foundation, more than 70 million Americans have a cardiovascular disease (CVD). The national cost of nearly $ 400 million, and every 45 seconds an American has a Stoke.
Certain risk factors increase your chance of developing cardiovascular disease.
1. Overweight
2. High blood cholesterol
3. Insufficient physical activity
4. High blood pressure
5. Smoking
6. Excessive alcohol consumption
Many people have multiple risk factors for heart disease and the risk level increases with the number of risk factors. By reducing these risk factors can prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. High cholesterol in the blood of its own is not necessarily a problem, but together with one or more risk factors for heart disease, it is often the straw that breaks the camel.
It is therefore, very important to know what their cholesterol levels and keep a healthy level before you have any problems.
High-risk cholesterol
If your total cholesterol is 240 or more is definitely high. You have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, you should have your LDL and HDL cholesterol test. Ask your doctor. About 20 percent of the U.S. population have high levels of blood cholesterol.
High risk limit:
People whose total cholesterol is 200 to 239 mg / dL have borderline-high cholesterol. About a third of American adults are in this group, while almost half of adults had total cholesterol levels below 200 mg / dL. In fact, people who have total cholesterol of 240 mg / dL have twice the risk of coronary heart disease than people whose cholesterol level is 200 mg / dl.
Other factors that affect levels of blood cholesterol:
High cholesterol often runs in families. Although specific genetic causes have been identified in only a minority of cases, genes still play a role in influencing cholesterol levels in the blood. If your parents have high cholesterol should be tested to see if your cholesterol levels are also high.
Before menopause, women tend to have lower cholesterol levels than men the same age. Cholesterol levels naturally rise as men and older women. Menopause is often associated with increased LDL cholesterol in women.
Studies have shown the strain were signed directly to cholesterol levels. However, experts say that because people sometimes eat fatty foods to console themselves when under stress, this can cause high cholesterol in the blood.
Being overweight tends to increase cholesterol levels in the blood. Losing weight has been shown to help lower levels. A greater risk of increased cholesterol levels occurs when that extra weight is centered in the abdominal region, unlike the legs or buttocks.
by: Ali khan
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