Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – February 04, 2021 – Health
Cholesterol awareness can help prevent stroke and heart disease, scientists say.
American scientists Deirdre Mattina, M.D. (Cleveland Clinic), and Randal Thomas M.D. (Mayo Clinic), have listed several facts about cholesterol that they believe are useful for every adult to know.
Total cholesterol is only part of the picture. A blood test can determine the level of cholesterol in the body. However, more important than knowing total cholesterol is understanding what constitutes this indicator, experts say.
What are these components?
LDL. It is considered “bad” cholesterol because it promotes the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. The more cholesterol build-up, the narrower and harder the arteries become, and the harder it is for blood to flow through them to the heart.
“If you’ve already been diagnosed with heart disease, you need your LDL to be below 70,” says Randal Thomas.
HDL. It is considered “good” cholesterol because it carries LDL cholesterol from the arteries to the liver, where it is broken down and eliminated from the body.
“For men, the ideal HDL range is 40 to 100; for women, 50 to 100, ”adds Dr. Thomas.
Triglycerides. It is a type of blood fat that the body uses for energy. For most people, a triglyceride score above 150 is considered high for most people, and dangerously high above 1000, according to scientists.
“The combination of high triglycerides with low HDL cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol increases the risk of heart attack and stroke,” warns Dr. Deidre Mattina.
A heart attack can occur even with normal cholesterol levels. Scientists state that heart attacks occur in many people with normal cholesterol levels – this is probably due to the inflammatory effect produced by its deposits.
“The best way to find out if there are inflammatory particles of cholesterol in the blood is to conduct a highly sensitive test for C-reactive protein (CRP),” the experts suggested.
There is also a test that evaluates the calcium content in the coronary arteries – it allows you to determine the presence of hardened cholesterol in them. If the test reveals an elevated level of calcium, it means that dangerous doses of inflammation-causing plaques are deposited in the arteries around the heart.
Eating a good diet improves cholesterol levels, but medications may still be needed. According to the American Heart Association, a diet high in saturated fat and simple carbohydrates, as well as smoking, insufficient exercise, overweight, or obesity, contribute to the growth of cholesterol accumulations that increase the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, a healthy and balanced diet, physical activity, and smoking cessation significantly improve cholesterol control.
However, doctors warn,
“It is important to understand that it is not always possible to improve your cholesterol with lifestyle measures alone – medications may still be required.”
This is especially true if a person has experienced a heart attack and needs a sharp decrease in LDL cholesterol levels, the doctors explained.
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