All the cholesterol in your body is not as bad as you think. There are actually two kinds of cholesterol: HDL or High Density Lipoprotein and LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein. HDL is the good kind that protects your body and keeps the cholesterol low in the blood stream. LDL on the other hand, is the one you need to watch and keep in control.
While a high HDL level in the blood may not have any adverse impact on your organs, a high LDL level can be dangerous for your system and it can lead to a number of cardiovascular disorders. This is because the excess gets deposited in your arteries, causing them to harden and become narrow. When that happens, the arteries can get blocked and this will affect the circulation of blood throughout the body, leading to clots which can affect the limbs, brain, heart, etc.
Causes of High Cholesterol
Cholesterol levels are often determined by genetic factors as well as environmental factors. High levels can often be inherited and run in families. They are also influenced by where you stay. For example, those who stay in northern Europe usually have lower levels on an average as compared to people living in southern Europe. Asians have higher levels than a lot of others in the world.
Other factors that influence these levels also include diabetes, kidney diseases and reduced metabolism which usually occurs due to thyroid problems. And of course, the most common cause of this problem is being overweight.
To prevent suffering from the dangers of high cholesterol it is important to keep a conscious check on your lifestyle and get your levels checked regularly, especially if you have a family history of high levels.
Diagnosing and Treating Cholesterol Problems
Doctors usually follow a specific procedure in order to determine the cholesterol in your blood. After a 12 hour fast, a blood sample is obtained from the patient. This blood is checked for the amount of HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glucose and the total amount present in the body. The findings of these tests are then adjusted depending on the age, weight and other conditions of that particular patient. Doctors also often take a few minor tests at the same time to check for any cardiovascular diseases that may be present.
In order to treat high cholesterol, it is important that you adopt good eating habits and get rid of bad habits like smoking and drinking alcohol. If the levels are very high, medication may also be prescribed to the patient. Medicines are usually prescribed if the doctor feels that the patient has a high risk of getting a cardiovascular disease or if the patient has already undergone some kind of cardiovascular treatment.
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