| Learn more about cholesterol | | | | more protected than men against stroke and heart |
| 01st March 2007 | | | | attack. |
| Author: groshan fabiola | | | | Another factor that must be kept in mind when |
| Cholesterol is a fat produced by the liver and is very | | | | analyzing a blood test sheet is the total level of |
| important in the proper functioning of the organism | | | | cholesterol. If this level in high this is not good news. |
| as it contributes to cell forming, protecting nerves | | | | The ideal thing is to have a high level of HDL and a |
| and creating hormones. If one person has a high level | | | | low level of LDL. |
| of cholesterol in the blood it is exposed to heart | | | | The VLDL is represented by triglycerides. They are |
| problems and strokes. Mostly the people aged over | | | | brought to the organism from foods and are also |
| 40 are at risk of developing high levels of cholesterol | | | | considered to be a type of fat. They are considered |
| in the blood, and especially men are exposed to this | | | | to be energy reservoirs as they are stocked into fat |
| risk. | | | | cells as soon as they get into the body. If the level |
| The cardiovascular system is affected by cholesterol | | | | of triglycerides in the blood is increased along with |
| due to the fact that the arteries get blocked by the | | | | the level of LDL then problems might appear |
| accumulation of cholesterol. The cholesterol ends up | | | | concerning the heart especially in the patients who |
| forming a plaque which will obstruct the arteries and | | | | also have diabetes. |
| block the blood flow. This means that the heart is at | | | | High levels of cholesterol might appear in those who |
| risk of not being irrigated any more and so the heart | | | | are inactive, who are overweight, and who have a |
| attack produces. | | | | family history of such problem, those who are over |
| Cholesterol does not travel by its own inside the | | | | 40 and are men and who eat a lot of fatty foods |
| blood. He is attached to different proteins forming a | | | | and drink alcohol more than recommended. |
| complex named lipoprotein and this is why doctors | | | | Those who do not treat diabetes, who have |
| say that there are more types of cholesterol. There | | | | problems with the thyroid gland, and have other |
| are: low density (LDL), high density (HDL) and very | | | | kidney or liver affection, might have an increased |
| low density (VLDL) lipoproteins and they are classified | | | | level of cholesterol in the blood also. |
| depending of the level of proteins they contain. | | | | When checking the blood tests results the doctor |
| The low density lipoproteins contain a lot of fat and a | | | | knows that the ideal level of cholesterol in under |
| small amount of proteins. By this form is transported | | | | 5mmol/l and that the level of low density lipoproteins |
| most of the cholesterol in the body and deposited in | | | | is best to be less than 3mmol/l. Before the blood test |
| the arteries. This means that the low density | | | | you might be asked not to eat for at least 12 hours |
| lipoproteins are bad for the organism as they | | | | in order not to influence the blood test results if |
| increase they risk of cardiovascular diseases. | | | | eating. |
| The high density lipoproteins contain a lot of proteins | | | | There are home testing kits of measuring the |
| and a small amount of fat. In this form is transported | | | | cholesterol but they might give false results. It is best |
| only a small amount of cholesterol. The HDL is | | | | to check the level of the cholesterol at the hospital |
| considered to be good for the organism and to | | | | because the doctor will correlate the results with the |
| protect it against the cardiovascular affections. If the | | | | blood pressure, age and habits, like smoking or |
| level of HDL in the blood is reduced, then the risk of | | | | drinking alcohol. A high level of cholesterol does not |
| heart affections is increased. Mostly women have an | | | | give any symptoms and that is why it is best to |
| increased level of HDL and that is why they are | | | | take a check up periodically. |