High Cholesterol May Be The Cause Of A Stroke.
Do you know the risks of high cholesterol?
Feb 02, 2019
Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in your body
Too much cholesterol can block the blood vessels. Its accumulation in the walls of the blood vessels is called plaque. It can narrow the arteries and block or slow blood circulation. This means that certain parts of the body will not receive the blood they need.
If your heart does not get enough blood, you may suffer from heart attack. This can damage the heart, or worst, it can be fatal.
If the brain does not receive enough blood, you may suffer a stroke. It can be fatal.
You can have high cholesterol without knowing it. A blood test will tell you what your cholesterol level is
When you receive the blood test, you will notice different types of numbers.
- Total cholesterol measures the total amount of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. The optimal level is below 200 mg/dl and over 240 mg/dl is considered at high risk.
- LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein), the so-called bad cholesterol that accumulates in the blood vessel. It can narrow the arteries and cause a stroke. The optimal level is below 100mg / dl and over 160mg / dl is considered at high risk.
- Triglycerides are another type of fat in your blood. The higher is the amount, the higher is the cardiovascular risk. The optimal level is below 150 mg/dl and over 200 mg/dl is considered to be at high risk.
- HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein), often called good cholesterol, to remove LDL from the blood. A high level of HDL reduces the risk of heart attack. The optimal level is over 60mg / dl and below 40mg / dl is considered at high risk.
Factors that you can control:
- unhealthy eating,
- physical inactivity,
- smoking,
- excess alcohol.
Factors you can not control:
- Cholesterol levels increase with age.
- Until menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age, after which LDL tends to increase.
Hereditary Factors:
- The genes partially determine how much cholesterol produces the body.
- High blood cholesterol can be genetically determined.
How to Control Cholesterol
The primary goal in treating high cholesterol levels is to maintain low LDL levels. Decreasing it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. You can reduce blood cholesterol by changing your lifestyle. You may also need medication.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for support, guidance and assistance.
- Stay active. Exercise may reduce cholesterol. If possible, perform moderate intensity exercises up to at least 2½ hours a week or 30 minutes five times a week. Examples include walking, running smoothly.
- Eat healthily. Reduce the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet. Consume more low fat and high fibre foods. Try to include a wide range of fruits and vegetables in the diet.
- Quit smoking. If you have trouble quitting smoking, consider asking for the doctor or pharmacist's support. Take medication if it is prescribed.
- Check your cholesterol. Check your blood cholesterol as recommended by your doctor.
- Touch and maintain a normal weight. Weight loss can help reduce LDL and total cholesterol levels. Routine physical activity can also increase HDL levels and reduce LDL and triglyceride levels. To decrease weight, reduce calories intake and do more physical exercise. Eat smaller portions and choose foods with labels that mention <cholesterol-free or low-fat saturated fat>.
- Medication. A healthy lifestyle would help you even if your doctor prescribed medication to reduce your cholesterol. There are different drugs to reduce high blood cholesterol. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the best option for you.
Administering the prescribed treatment can help keep your cholesterol within normal limits.
Follow the treatment:
- as recommended,
- even if you do not think it works,
- even if you feel better.
Tell the doctor:
- If you take any other prescription medication or dietary supplements.
- About any side effects or other issues.
- If you can not buy the medicines.
Florina
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