Cholesterol helps your body build new cells, insulate nerves, and produce hormones. Normally, the liver makes all the cholesterol the body needs. But cholesterol also enters your body from food, such as animal-based foods like milk, eggs, and meat. Too much cholesterol in your body is a major risk factor for heart disease.
A form of heart disease, atherosclerosis, is caused when too much cholesterol is in the blood which builds up in the walls of your arteries. The arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart muscle is slowed down or blocked. Your heart gets oxygen from the blood. When you do not get enough blood and oxygen to your heart, it might cause chest pains. A heart attack can happen when the blood supply to a part of your heart is completely cut off by a blockage.
The two forms of cholesterol Americans are familiar with are low density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) and high density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol). Cholesterol travels in the blood in this form. LDLs have little protein and high levels of cholesterol and HDL has a lot of protein and very little cholesterol.
The main source of artery clogging plaque is LDL. The HDL works to clear cholesterol from the blood.
Another fat in the bloodstream is triglycerides. According to research, high levels of triglycerides are linked to heart disease.
High cholesterol itself does not cause any symptoms; so many people are unaware that their cholesterol levels are too high. Therefore, it is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even if you already have it.
It is recommended that everyone over the age of twenty get their cholesterol levels measured at least every five years. Lipoprotein profile is the blood test that is performed. - 32389
A form of heart disease, atherosclerosis, is caused when too much cholesterol is in the blood which builds up in the walls of your arteries. The arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart muscle is slowed down or blocked. Your heart gets oxygen from the blood. When you do not get enough blood and oxygen to your heart, it might cause chest pains. A heart attack can happen when the blood supply to a part of your heart is completely cut off by a blockage.
The two forms of cholesterol Americans are familiar with are low density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) and high density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol). Cholesterol travels in the blood in this form. LDLs have little protein and high levels of cholesterol and HDL has a lot of protein and very little cholesterol.
The main source of artery clogging plaque is LDL. The HDL works to clear cholesterol from the blood.
Another fat in the bloodstream is triglycerides. According to research, high levels of triglycerides are linked to heart disease.
High cholesterol itself does not cause any symptoms; so many people are unaware that their cholesterol levels are too high. Therefore, it is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even if you already have it.
It is recommended that everyone over the age of twenty get their cholesterol levels measured at least every five years. Lipoprotein profile is the blood test that is performed. - 32389
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For additional information or questions in regards to Cholesterol and Heart Disease please send all messages to Dr. Sam Robbins
