What is High Blood Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your liver makes. It is also found in some foods.
Cholesterol is found in all parts of your body. It plays a vital role in your body. It makes hormones, helps you digest food, and supports workings of all the cells in your body. But your liver makes all the cholesterol that your body needs to do this.
Cholesterol circulates in your blood stream. But it's fatty while your blood is watery. Just like oil and water, the two do not mix. As a result, cholesterol travels through your bloodstream in small packages called lipoproteins. The packages are made of fat (lipids) on the inside and proteins on the outside.
Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol through your bloodstream. It's important to have healthy levels of both:
- low-density lipoproteins (LDL)
- high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol to all the cells in your body, including the arteries that supply blood to your heart. LDL cholesterol is sometimes called bad cholesterol because it can build up in the walls of your arteries.
The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood, the greater your chances of getting heart disease.
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol away from the cells in your body. HDL cholesterol is sometimes called good cholesterol because it helps remove cholesterol from your artery walls. The liver then removes the cholesterol from your body.
The higher your HDL cholesterol level, the lower your chances of getting heart disease.
Too much cholesterol in your blood is called high blood cholesterol. It can be serious. It increases your chances of having a heart attack or getting heart disease.
When the cholesterol level in your blood is too high, it can build up in the walls of your arteries. This buildup of cholesterol is called plaque. Over time, the plaque can build up so much that it narrows your arteries. This is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. It can slow down or block the flow of blood to your heart.
This can happen to blood vessels anywhere in your body, including the ones that bring blood to your heart. They are called the coronary arteries. If plaque builds up in these arteries, the blood may not be able to bring enough oxygen to the heart muscle. This is called coronary heart disease (CHD).
The build up of plaque can lead to chest pain called angina. Angina is a common symptom of CHD. It happens when the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood from the lungs.
Some plaques have a thin covering, so they may rupture or break open. A blood clot can then form over the plaque. A clot can block the flow of blood through the artery. This blockage can cause a heart attack.
Lowering your cholesterol level reduces your chances of having a plaque rupture and cause a heart attack. It may also slow down, reduce, or even stop plaque from building up. And it reduces your chances of dying from heart disease.
High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, so many people don't know that they have it. It is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because if you have high blood cholesterol, lowering it reduces your chances of getting heart disease or having a heart attack.
Quiz
1. LDL cholesterol is sometimes called
A. good cholesterol.
B. bad cholesterol.
C. high blood cholesterol.
D. total cholesterol.
B is the correct answer.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is sometimes called bad cholesterol because it can build up in the walls of your arteries and make them narrower. This is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood, the greater your chances of getting heart disease.
2. HDL cholesterol is sometimes called
A. high blood cholesterol.
B. good cholesterol.
C. total cholesterol.
D. bad cholesterol.
B is the correct answer.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is sometimes called good cholesterol because it helps remove cholesterol from artery walls and carries it to the liver. The liver then removes it from your body.
The higher your HDL cholesterol level, the lower your chances of getting heart disease.
3. Plaque is
A. chest pain.
B. a medical term for heart attack.
C. cholesterol build up in the walls of your arteries.
D. a blood clot.
C is the correct answer. When cholesterol builds up in the walls of your arteries, it is called plaque. Over time, the plaque can build up so much that the arteries become narrower. This is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
4. Lowering your cholesterol level
A. reduces your chances of having a heart attack.
B. reduces your chances of getting angina.
C. reduces your chances of dying from heart disease.
D. all of the above
D is the correct answer. Lowering your cholesterol level reduces your chances of having plaque rupture and cause angina or a heart attack. It may also slow down, reduce, or even stop plaque from building up. And it reduces your chances of dying from heart disease.
Causes of High Blood Cholesterol
Many things can affect the level of cholesterol in your blood. You can control some of these things but not others.
You can control
- what you eat
- your weight
- your activity level.
Certain foods have several types of fat that raise your cholesterol level.
Saturated fat increases your LDL cholesterol level more than anything else in your diet. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods that come from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat, and milk products, including butter, cream and cheese. These foods also contain cholesterol.
Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, also raise your LDL cholesterol level. These mostly come from vegetable oil that has gone through a process called hydrogenation to make it hard. Examples of foods containing trans fats include many convenience foods such as doughnuts, French fries, cookies, cakes and pastries.
Being overweight tends to
- increase your LDL level
- lower your HDL level
- increase your total cholesterol level.
If you don't exercise regularly, you may gain weight. This could increase your LDL cholesterol level. Regular exercise can help you lose weight and lower your LDL level. It can also help you increase your HDL level.
You cannot control some things that can affect the level of cholesterol in your blood, including
- your heredity
- your age
- your sex.
High blood cholesterol can run in families. For most people, their cholesterol level is the result of an interaction between their genes and their lifestyles.
As we get older, our cholesterol levels rise.
- Before menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.
- After menopause, women's LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to increase.
Quiz
1. Eating foods that contain saturated fat can raise your cholesterol level.
TRUE is the correct answer. Eating foods that contain saturated fat can raise your cholesterol level. Saturated fat increases your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level more than anything else in your diet. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods that come from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat, and milk products, including butter, cream and cheese. These foods also contain cholesterol.
2. Being overweight can have an effect on your cholesterol level.
TRUE is the correct answer. Being overweight tends to increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol level, lower your HDL (good) cholesterol level, and increase your total cholesterol level.
3. Regular exercise does not affect your cholesterol levels.
FALSE is the correct answer. If you don't exercise regularly, you may gain weight. This could increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol level. Regular exercise can help you lose weight and lower your LDL level. It can also help you raise your HDL (good) cholesterol level.
4. Your age and sex can affect your cholesterol levels.
TRUE is the correct answer. As we get older, our cholesterol levels rise. Before menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, women's LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to rise.
