Cholesterol is simply a form of lipid or fat that can be found within your blood. Your cells require this and your body makes the exact amount that it needs, but you will also need to get cholesterol from the foods that you eat. Unfortunately, if you have too much cholesterol in your system, then it can gradually begin to build up in your arteries, which are the blood vessels responsible for carrying blood away from the heart. This can cause hardening in the arteries, or a condition known as atherosclerosis, and it is the starting point of various blood flow and heart problems.
Two Types of Cholesterol:
In some cases, hardened arteries caused by high cholesterol can make it harder for blood to flow as it should, and the result can also lead to dangerous inflammation and blood clots that promote strokes and heart attacks. There are two types of cholesterol. The first type is the "bad" cholesterol, known as LDL cholesterol, and this is the type that raises your risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart disease. The second type is HDL cholesterol, and it is the good type because it can lower your risk of stroke, heart disease, and heart attacks.
What You Can Expect from Having High Cholesterol:
Both types of cholesterol do not cause symptoms, particularly HDL cholesterol, which allows you to remove most of the dangerous particles of LDL cholesterol from your blood stream. The condition can be found during a blood test which is used to measure cholesterol levels, but up until that point you shouldn't experience any obvious signs.
In some cases, people with very rare lipid disorders might suffer from symptoms such as bumps in their hands, skin, or feet, which can be caused by extra deposits of cholesterol and various other forms of fat.
In general, having high cholesterol is a cause for concern, although the doctor will take a look at the specific levels of HDL and LDL to find out if your risk for heart disease is unusually high.
The Causes of High Cholesterol:
There are a range of things that can affect your level of cholesterol, such as the types of foods that you eat. For instance, consuming too much trans fats, saturated fats and cholesterol will automatically raise your cholesterol. Another problem may be being inactive and overweight, as this can lower your levels of good HDL cholesterol, responsible for removing the bad substances from your system. Age is also a contributor to having high cholesterol, as amounts can rise naturally after the age of twenty, and having a family history of high cholesterol can make your problems more significant.
Diagnosing and Treating High Cholesterol:
The best way to check your cholesterol level is with a lipid blood test. This test measures all of the various fats within your blood, including HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol. Once a high level of cholesterol has been discovered, your doctor can suggest a range of treatments to lower your risk of stroke and heart attack. The goal here is not to lower your cholesterol numbers alone, but also to improve your health overall through medications such as statins, and various lifestyle changes. The options suggested for your treatment will depend on how significant your high cholesterol is.