Cholesterol
What
Is Cholesterol?
To
understand high blood cholesterol, it is important to
know more about cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found
in all cells of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol
to work the right way and makes all the cholesterol
you need.
Cholesterol is also found in some of the foods you eat.
You
use cholesterol to make hormones, Vitamin D, and substances
that help you digest foods.
Blood
is watery and cholesterol is fatty. Just like oil and
water, the two do not mix. So, in order to travel in
the bloodstream, cholesterol is carried in small packages
called lipoproteins (lip-o-PRO-teens). The small packages
are made of fat (lipid) on the inside and proteins on
the outside. Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol
throughout your body. It is important to have healthy
levels of both:
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LDL
(low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is sometimes
called "bad" cholesterol.
High LDL cholesterol leads to a buildup of cholesterol
in arteries. The higher the LDL level in your blood,
the greater chance you have for getting heart disease.
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HDL
(high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is sometimes
called "good" cholesterol.
HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of your body
back to your liver. The liver removes the cholesterol
from your body. The higher your HDL cholesterol level,
the lower your chance of getting heart disease. |
What is a lipid profile?
The
lipid profile is a group of tests that are often ordered
together to determine risk of coronary heart disease.
The tests that make up a lipid profile are tests that
have been shown to be good indicators of whether someone
is likely to have a heart attack or stroke caused by
blockage of blood vessels (hardening of the arteries)
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What tests are included in a lipid profile?
The
lipid profile includes total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol
(often called good cholesterol), LDL-cholesterol (often
called bad cholesterol), and triglycerides.
Sometimes
the report will include additional calculated values
such as HDL/Cholesterol ratio or a risk score based
on lipid profile results, age, sex, and other risk factors. |
How is a lipid profile used?
The
lipid profile is used to guide physicians in deciding
how a person at risk should be treated. The results
of the lipid profile are considered along with other
known risk factors of heart disease to develop a plan
of treatment and follow-up. |
What Is High Blood Cholesterol?
Too
much cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol) in the blood, or high
blood cholesterol, can be serious. People with high
blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart
disease. High blood cholesterol itself does not cause
symptoms, so many people are unaware that their cholesterol
level is too high.
Other Names for High Blood Cholesterol
-
Hypercholesterolemia
- Hyperlipidemia.
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What Causes High Blood Cholesterol?
A variety of things can affect the cholesterol levels
in your blood. Some of these things you can control
and others you cannot.
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You can control:
What you eat. Certain foods have types of fat that raise
your cholesterol level.
Saturated fat raises your LDL cholesterol level more
than anything else in your diet.
Trans fatty acids (trans fats) are made when vegetable
oil is "hydrogenated" to harden it. Trans
fatty acids also raise cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol is found in foods that come from animal
sources, for example, egg yolks, meat, and cheese.
Your
weight : Being overweight tends to increase
your LDL level, lower your HDL level, and increase your
total cholesterol level.
Your activity : Lack of regular exercise
can lead to weight gain and raise your LDL cholesterol
level. Regular exercise can help you lose weight and
lower your LDL level. It can also help you raise your
HDL level.
You cannot control : Heredity. High
blood cholesterol can run in families. An inherited
genetic condition (familial hypercholesterolemia) results
in very high LDL cholesterol levels. It begins at birth,
and results in a heart attack at an early age.
Age and sex Starting at puberty, men have lower levels
of HDL than women. As women and men get older, their
LDL cholesterol levels rise. Younger women have lower
LDL cholesterol levels than men, but after age 55 they
have higher levels than men.
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What
Are the Signs and Symptoms of High Blood Cholesterol?
There are usually no signs or symptoms of high blood
cholesterol. Many people don't know that their cholesterol
level is too high.
Everyone
age 20 and older should have their cholesterol levels
checked at least once every 5 years. You and your doctor
can discuss how often you should be tested. |
How is High Blood Cholesterol Diagnosed?
High blood cholesterol is diagnosed by checking levels
of cholesterol in your blood. It is best to have a blood
test called a lipid profile to measure your cholesterol
levels. Most people will need to "fast" (not
eat or drink anything) for 9 to 12 hours before taking
the test.
The
lipoprotein profile will give information about your:
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- Total
cholesterol.
- LDL
(bad) cholesterol: the main source of cholesterol
buildup and blockage in the arteries.
- HDL
(good) cholesterol: the good cholesterol that helps
keep cholesterol from building up in arteries.
- Triglycerides:
another form of fat in your blood.
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If
it is not possible to get a lipid profile done, knowing
your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol can give
you a general idea about your cholesterol levels. Testing
for total and HDL cholesterol does not require fasting.
If your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or more, or if
your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have
a lipoprotein profile done. |
