When one’s blood vessels become narrow and hard by fatty deposits (plagues) caused by an increase in cholesterol, fat, calcium, and other matter.
The fatty deposits upset the blood flow and not enough oxygen (the gas we breathe in) is delivered to the various organs in the body particularly to the heart leading to heart disease. Fatty deposits also make blood vessels less flexible and more prone to damage.
The ideal target should be reached when a cholesterol blood test is taken is less than 4 mmol/l (HDL and LDL) with a minimum standard of 5 mmol/l
Cholesterol is made in the liver and helps to make the body cell walls; it needs to be transported in the blood via lipoproteins.
It is a type of waxy fat that your body makes in the liver or that you absorb from foods.
It helps in the formation of vitamin D and other hormones
It’s a critical building block for the body’s cells and is vital in producing hormones and digestive fluids.
There are two types of cholesterol
HDL
These are ‘good’ lipoproteins known as high density lipoproteins (HDL).
These transport cholesterol back to the liver and break it down.
It carries cholesterol from the cells to the liver where it is broken down or is removed from the body
Preferred target (Men): greater than 1 mmol/l
Preferred target (Women): greater than 1.2mmol/l
LDL and VLDL
These are ‘bad’ lipoproteins known as low density lipoproteins (lDL) and very-low density lipoproteins (VLDL).
These carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells.
Ideal target: less than 2 mmol/l
Minimum standard: less than 3 mmol/l
Triglycerides:
Triglycerides are a type of fat that provides energy for cell function and circulates in the blood.
They are released into your bloodstream from food that contains fat and from fat stores in the body.
They also help in the metabolism (digest and breakdown) of alcohol.
They carry very-low density lipoproteins (VLDL) – ‘Bad cholesterol’ in ones blood to organ tissues.
Cause
Age – harder for your body to clear excess cholesterol from the blood, as one gets older.
Bad diet – Products high in saturated fats and trans fats. In addition, when you eat more calories than you can burn off, those extra calories are changed to triglycerides, which can result in high levels in your blood.
Lack of exercise – Low physical activity can result in weight gain and cause ‘LDL ‘ cholesterol and triglyceride levels to increase.
Overweight-change the way your body uses cholesterol, resulting in levels building up in your blood. Excess weight can also lead to high triglycerides, which are stored in your fat cells.
Smoking – Smoking won’t cause your LDL cholesterol to spike, but it can cause your HDL cholesterol levels (the good kind) to drop, as well as damage arteries.
Alcohol – Drinking heavily increases levels of both cholesterol and triglycerides.
Family history i.e.
Familial combined hyperlipidemia – common genetic disorder that can lead to an increase in body fats. It causes high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and is made worse by other long term conditions i.e.
Familial hypercholesterolemia – an inherited disorder prevents your body from being able to remove LDL cholesterol from your blood, resulting in abnormally high levels of the “bad” cholesterol in the body.
Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia – a genetic defect that leads cholesterol and triglycerides to build up in the blood and is made worse by other long term conditions such as :
Bumps that appear like a rash and/or warts or appear like ‘Molluscum Contagiosum‘, It can be mistaken for high cholesterol fatty deposits under the skin due to high triglyceride levels (Eruptive xanthoma)
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Cholesterol in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
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