All human bodies are programmed to produce cholesterol. It is present in every single cell of the body and is extremely essential for an appropriate functioning of this complex mechanism called human body. Cholesterol has a tremendous influence in the production and maintenance of the cell membranes, Vitamin D production as well as hormone synthesis.
Normally, the human body is made in such a way that it is capable of producing the right amount of cholesterol it needs for a proper functioning. Although this substance is vital, it can be extremely harmful when in excess. Therefore a wholesome diet is of the utmost importance in order to avoid that.
There are two kinds of cholesterol which our body produces, namely HDL which is considered to be good and LDL, which is bad cholesterol.
If it is excessive, this bad cholesterol can thicken the arteries leading to the heart, reducing dramatically the blood flow, thus aggravating the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attacks, stroke or arteriosclerosis.
It is vital to preserve the right level of HDL in the body because it prevents the sedimentation of cholesterol onto the arterial wall. It is also essential to be aware of the fact that the bad cholesterol does exactly the opposite.
Methods to Diagnosticate High Cholesterol
In order to find out the levels of cholesterol in the body, there are blood samples which are taken to be sent to a lab for a proper analysis of the lipids. It is meant to find out the good cholesterol level, bad cholesterol level as well as the level of the triglycerides, which are blood fats.
Are There Any Symptoms Associated with High Cholesterol?
High cholesterol is somehow similar to high blood pressure (the silent killer) because normally there are no symptoms associated with it. People usually find out they have high cholesterol if something wrong happens or when they get to do their habitual check up. In case of high cholesterol, sometimes there are tiny yellowish nodules visible under the skin of the patients elbows, eyebrows and eyes.
The only certain method to find out the cholesterol levels is a blood test. Medical experts recommend that the levels of cholesterol should be verified every 3 to 5 years if the person is 20 or older, particularly if there are genetic predispositions, previous cholesterol problems as well as in the case of obesity.
The cholesterol level is measured taking into account a number of standard reference points and is determined calculating the milligrams existing in a deciliter of blood.
Standard Reference Points in the Determination of Cholesterol Levels
The normal cholesterol levels are as follows:
| Total cholesterol:
|
below 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) |
| LDL cholesterol:
|
between 100 and 130 mg/dL (2.6 and 3.4 mmol/L) |
| HDL cholesterol:
|
above 40 mg/dL (1.03 mmol/L) |
| Triglycerides:
|
below 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) |
Every person is likely to have different cholesterol levels because they are influenced by certain elements which may easily cause serious heart conditions. Among these harmful elements mention should be made of age, levels of blood pressure, family history and levels of the good cholesterol. If you are about to have a blood sample taken, make sure to avoid eating and drinking (water is allowed) anything during the twelve or at least nine hours prior to the blood test so that the results should be relevant.
Factors Causing High Cholesterol
The excessive ingestion of food rich in saturated fats and cholesterol could easily trigger the augmentation of cholesterol levels. Another relevant factor is the genetic one, not to mention diabetes, obesity, smoking, physical inactivity which can also cause cholesterol problems.
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