Dear steemians....
Actually cholesterol is needed by the body to help build new cells so that the body can keep functioning normally. In the blood, cholesterol is carried by proteins. Combined both are called lipoproteins. The two main types of lipoproteins are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) commonly called bad cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) commonly called good cholesterol. The suggested blood cholesterol levels may vary depending on whether the person has a higher or lower risk of developing arterial disease. The amount of cholesterol in the blood can be measured by doing a blood test.
You should check blood cholesterol levels if you are overweight, have high blood pressure, have diabetes, or have other diseases that can increase your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels are also recommended if a person has a close family who suffers from cholesterol disease, or a close family who has a history of cardiovascular disease at an early age.
The impact of high cholesterol
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When excessive cholesterol settles on the walls of the arteries, the blood flow in the heart, brain, and other body parts can be inhibited. In other words, high cholesterol increases a person's risk of arterial constriction or atherosclerosis, blood clots in certain body parts, minor strokes, strokes, and heart attacks.
High cholesterol levels can also cause pain in the front of the chest or on the arm (angina) when a person experiences stress or heavy physical activity. In addition, high cholesterol also increases a person's risk of coronary heart disease.
If you do not change your diet and do not quit smoking, people with high cholesterol will be more at risk of stroke or heart disease. In cigarettes found a chemical called acrolein. This substance can stop the activity of good cholesterol or HDL to transport fat deposits to the liver. As a result, arterial narrowing or atherosclerosis may occur.
In addition, the risk of the patient also increases if he suffers from hypertension, diabetes, or has a family suffering from heart disease or stroke.
High cholesterol can also be caused by a genetic condition (heredity) called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). Cholesterol levels of patients with this condition remain high despite eating healthy foods.