Cholesterol Welcome to the Affordable Drugs cholesterol information page. The subject of cholesterol can be very confusing. There is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, hdl and ldl cholesterol, triglycerides, cholesterol tests, cholesterol numbers, cholesterol diets, etc. It is enough to make your head swim. However, it is important that you learn about cholesterol in order to maintain good health. Poor cholesterol control can have very detrimental effects on your heart and can lead to strokes and heart attacks. This page is a great place to start educating yourself about cholesterol. You can also find the best prices available on cholesterol medications including statins. The information contained on this page is not intended to replace the professional advice of your physician.
What Is Cholesterol? Cholesterol. We hear a lot about it: good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, high cholesterol, lower your cholesterol. But what is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance that is necessary in the body. It is a waxy, fat-like substance and can be created from scratch inside our bodies; it's produced in the liver as well as the adrenal glands and even the reproductive system. We also acquire amounts of the substance from the foods we eat. As cholesterol levels increase in the blood vessels, it may form into plagues. Plaques are a hard substance that attaches itself to the walls of our arteries. The build up of cholesterol plaques on the arteries can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and other ailments.
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is known as "bad cholesterol" is the form of cholesterol connected to a higher risk of coronary artery disease. It also has been suggested that LDL cholesterol contributes to weakening the immune system, making the body more susceptible to bacterial infections. Conversely, high density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good cholesterol" is said to lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease and may even help the body remove plague build up from artery walls. It is important to note, that as widely as these ideas are accepted, they are still just theories. The differences between HDL and LDL and their affects on the body are still being studied.
Outweighing the cholesterol we take in from food, the body itself is primarily responsible for the synthesis of cholesterol. In fact, we only get about 25% of the cholesterol in our bodies from the food we eat. Because of this, changing your diet won't completely take care of the problem if you have high levels of cholesterol in your system. Exercise is the best way to regulate this substance. Your genes also influence cholesterol production. So, if your family has a history of high blood pressure or heart disease, start monitoring yourself early.
As a bad a rap as cholesterol has, it is important to remember that your body needs this substance, which aids in the building and maintenance of cell membranes. It also functions as a transport between cells and nerves, basically helping parts of your body communicate with other parts. Cholesterol is used by many organs, helping keep the systems of the body in fine working order. In the liver, cholesterol is made into bile, which aids the body in absorbing fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins K, D, E and A. The ability of your intestines to absorb these essential vitamins is necessary for proper body function to continue. Cholesterol also strengthens bones and muscles, increases mental performance and helps repair damaged tissue. It provides energy and maintains appropriate amounts of fat in the body, which whether we want to admit it or not, is also a necessary substance for growth and health.
Understanding cholesterol and its unavoidable role in your life can help you regulate it. There's no reason to be afraid of it, or to make it your mission to eradicate it from your system. Remember, anything that your body creates in itself must be necessary for healthy function.
Cholesterol Levels If you want to take charge of your health, understanding your cholesterol numbers is essential. Your cholesterol levels are measured by a complete lipoprotein profile, which determines four key numbers: your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol (TC).
LDL, often referred to as "bad" cholesterol, is the main carrier of cholesterol in the body. When an excess of LDL circulates the bloodstream, it can contribute to atherosclerosis -- the buildup of plaque in the arteries -- and leads to a heightened risk of heart attack and stroke. Depending on your age and other health factors, LDL cholesterol levels below 100 mg/dL are optimal, with levels between 100 and 129 mg/dL considered near optimal, 130 and 159 borderline high, 160 to 189 high, and above 190 very high. The higher your LDL cholesterol numbers are, the greater your risk for developing heart disease.
Conversely, HDL is known as "good" cholesterol because of its protective effects against cardiovascular disease. Like LDL, HDL is a cholesterol carrier in the body, but instead of contributing to a buildup of arterial plaque, HDL tends to sweep cholesterol away from arteries and to the liver for excretion. With HDL, high cholesterol numbers are optimal; low cholesterol numbers increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. For most of the population, high HDL cholesterol levels are above 60 mg/dL, while levels between 40 and 59 are considered medium, and cholesterol levels below 40 for men and 50 for women are considered low -- and reflect a greater risk of heart disease.
Your level of triglycerides -- the body's most common type of fat -- is also a factor in developing cardiovascular conditions. Elevated triglyceride levels are linked with heart disease and, in combination with high LDL and low HDL numbers, increase the progression of atherosclerosis. Normal triglyceride levels are under 150 mg/dL, while 150 - 199 is considered borderline high, 200 - 499 is high, and above 500 is very high. Lower triglyceride levels decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Your total blood cholesterol level, also called your total serum cholesterol level, is calculated by combining your LDL level, HDL level, and one-fifth of your triglyceride level. For lowest risk of heart disease, a total cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL is desirable. Total cholesterol numbers between 200 and 239 mg/dL are considered borderline-high risk, and levels above 240 are high risk.
Triglycerides Triglycerides are common types of fats, or lipids, that are essential to good health when they are present in the body at normal levels. They make up about ninety-five percent of the total fat in the body. These healthy fats are also manufactured by the body and are present in many of the foods we eat. They function primarily as energy deposits, that is they can be used by the body for energy when other resources are not readily available. Such is the reason that we can lose body fat by decreasing the amount of readily available energy thereby causing the body to use stored energy in the form of lipids - or triglycerides.
However, high levels of triglycerides can be a significant health factor, and is viewed as a precursor to atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries. Also, high triglyceride levels can be contributing factors to heart disease or stroke, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, and hyper-thyroidism. But at a minimum, high triglyceride levels can be an indicator of one's overall heart health, which is why physicians will often prescribe simple weight loss as a pre-emptive strike to heart disease. This is why weight control is often an excellent indicator of one's comprehensive health, yet, high triglyceride levels are not uncommon in those who are not overweight, and who have a particular genetic disposition to high triglyceride levels. Fortunately, this can be altered through diet and exercise or medicines.
Normal levels of triglycerides are about 150 mg/dL. A measurement above 150 mg/dL is worth watching closely and anything above 200 mg/dL is considered high enough to treat. It must be noted that an accurate measurement of triglyceride levels can be attained only after an eight to twelve hour fast. There is some dispute regarding how high triglyceride levels, in isolation, actually effect one's health. But it's important to note that high triglyceride levels rarely exist without other risk factors being present. Thus, treating high triglyceride levels often impacts other risk factors such as weight or blood sugal levels.
The good news, however, is that high triglyceride levels is an extremely easy condition to manipulate. A simple change in diet by restricting one's intake of simple sugars and grains is most effective. Grains require insulin to metabolize in the body, and insulin, in turn, requires the production of triglycerides. Thus, when one reduces grains and sugars in the diet, the body will reduce production of triglycerides. Also, there are medicines that are quite effective in reducing triglyceride levels such as statins, fibrotes, or Omega-3 fatty acids.
It's interesting to note that alcohol consumption can cause high triglyceride levels by requiring the liver to produce more fatty acids. However, moderate alcohol consumption may increase the level of HDL, the good cholesterol, thereby possibly negating the effects of the liver's production of fatty acids. One should not begin alcohol consumption solely for the benefit of increased HDL levels as it is unclear if the benefits are at least equal to the negative consequences.
HDL Cholesterol vs. LDL Cholesterol Cholesterol is a non-water soluble fat-like waxy substance, essential to body function in small amounts, which is introduced into the body by dietary fat and produced in the body by digestive processes of the liver. Cholesterol is transported through the body in the bloodstream as lipoproteins. There are two types of cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein, LDL, called "bad" cholesterol, and High-density lipoprotein, HDL, called "good" cholesterol. Density of lipoproteins is classified by the ratio of fat to protein in the lipoprotein body, with lower density associated with higher fat content. Levels of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol can be measured to determine the ratio of "good" and "bad" cholesterol with a blood test.
Along with HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol are included in total cholesterol count. Lp(a) is a genetic variant of LDL, also a type of "bad" cholesterol believed to be a risk factor in the premature development of arterial plaque. Triglycerides are associated with higher levels of LDL cholesterol, and lower levels of HDL cholesterol, as well as higher total cholesterol levels, and an increased risk of heart disease. Triglycerides are also used to measure the presence of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) in the blood.
Elevated levels of LDL, "bad" cholesterol, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease due to its less efficient movement through the bloodstream to the liver, which results in the formation of deposits called plaque on the arterial walls. Heavy deposits can narrow the arterial walls and decrease the flexibility of the arteries, resulting in a condition called atherosclerosis, or hardened arteries. If blood clots form, they can lodge in the narrowed arteries, causing strokes or a heart attack. Insufficient blood flow to the heart due to narrowed arteries can result in chest pains, called as angina. Complete blockage of coronary arteries can result in heart attacks.
Higher levels of HDL, "good" cholesterol, are associated with a lowered risk of heart disease. It is believed that HDL cholesterol assists in lowering cholesterol levels by helping to carry LDL cholesterol through the bloodstream to be flushed from the system through the liver. A lower level of HDL "good" cholesterol is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. It is considered desirable for heart health to have a higher ratio of HDL "good" cholesterol to LDL "bad" cholesterol, which helps to keep total levels of cholesterol lower, reducing the risks associated with LDL cholesterol plaque build up in arteries.
Diet and heredity are both factors in individual levels of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, which can be controlled to some extent through a diet low in saturated fats, exercise, and medication, in order to increase levels of HDL "good" cholesterol, and reduce levels of LDL, "bad" cholesterol. Most current therapies are oriented to increasing HDL cholesterol, which is thought to decrease LDL cholesterol, which can be helpful in reducing the risk of accumulation of arterial plaque, which leads to a reduction in the risk of strokes and heart attack.
Consequences of High Cholesterol There are many life threatening diseases associated with the long term health consequences of having high cholesterol. If left unchecked, high cholesterol contributes to diseases such as heart attack, stroke, hypertension and others. High cholesterol is a factor in these diseases because of increased fat in the blood which overtime accumulates. This accumulation has devastating effects.
Many forms of arteriosclerosis (the thickening and hardening of arterial walls resulting in the loss of their elasticity) are directly attributed to high cholesterol levels. The most common form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis, or coronary artery disease.
Coronary artery disease, a narrowing on the arterial channels, is cause by high cholesterol when the fatty lipids (a greasy compound) begin to block the coronary arteries thus restricting blood flow. Calcium deposits carried in these fatty lipids also begin to harden the arteries causing scarring. This scarring can further speed up the blockage of arteries when blood passes over the roughened areas. As blood passes over these areas it creates a condition called thrombosis (formation of blood clots). In severe cases, these blood clots lead to sudden heart attacks.
Hypertension (or more commonly high blood pressure) is linked to high cholesterol. When the cholesterol plaque and calcium begin to harden and narrow the arteries, the heart works harder to pump sufficient blood to the body. The increased exertion by the heart to maintain adequate blood flow through the veins creates pressure on the arterials walls; this is the meaning blood pressure. Although there are many causes of hypertensions, it is common to find elevated blood pressure readings with high LDL cholesterol levels.
Kidney failure is a chronic life-threatening condition that increases susceptibility to malnutrition, anemia and bleeding, hypertension, seizures, neuropathy, and other dangerous metabolic disorders. Kidney failure caused by reduced kidney function can be linked to the role that chronic high cholesterol plays in diseases such as hypertension and heart disease. Kidney failure is commonly found in people suffering from chronic hypertension and coronary artery disease. Again, the contributing factor from high cholesterol is the buildup fatty deposits inside the walls of the blood vessels affecting efficient blood flow.
High cholesterol is a contributing factors in ischemic stroke; a stroke caused by blockage of blood flow to the brain. The blockage reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients the brain receives. The affected part of the brain begins to die. Depending on the area of the brain affected, irreversible damage occurs. Decreased motor function, paralyses, loss of sight, loss of speech and loss of cognitive ability are just a few. Also, a stroke can have negative psychological effects such as depression when the resulting stroke leaves the person unable to carry out simple tasks that were once easy, or when the person finds that simple speech is difficult or impossible.
Peripheral vascular disease is a disease affecting the blood vessels outside the heart and brain. Here again, fatty deposits accumulate along arteries (generally leading to the legs and feet). Over time, the accumulation hampers blood circulation. Some symptoms of this decreased blood circulation are claudication (weakness, pain or cramping), slow healing wounds and color change of the lower legs and arms.
The consequences of chronically high cholesterol levels such as arteriosclerosis and stroke have long been documented. However, information is surfacing showing a connection between the long term health consequences of high cholesterol and memory loss. A recent 2008 study shows a link between high LDL cholesterol levels and memory lost in older people. A 2004 Dutch study also showed a link between high cholesterol and increased risk of cognitive decline among middle-aged subjects. A study also confirmed that an increased risk of Alzheimer's is linked to high cholesterol levels in mid-life.
Lowering Cholesterol
Lowering cholesterol is an important part of overall good health. The heart depends on the timely and adequate delivery of blood to keep it pumping smoothly, delivering oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. When arteries are clogged with cholesterol, the volume of blood is decreased and, over time, arteries may become completely blocked, obstructing the flow of blood. And while cholesterol is essential for the body to function properly, abnormally high cholesterol is dangerous and steps should be taken to reduce total serum cholesterol.
There are several ways of reducing cholesterol. The first line of offense is diet and exercise. If that is not enough, there are supplements that help with the lowering of cholesterol. Finally, there are several types of medication that can be used when reducing cholesterol.
First, understand that cholesterol comes from foods that contain cholesterol. Most animal products contain cholesterol. Foods with the highest amounts of cholesterol are beef and beef products, veal and veal products, pork and pork products, lamb and lamb products and egg yolks. If you suffer from high cholesterol, try to reduce or eliminate these high cholesterol foods from your diet.
Adding more fiber to your diet is an effective way of lowering cholesterol. In addition, antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables help eliminate LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. Foods enriched with plant sterols, such as margarine and yogurt, and also aid in lowering cholesterol. Nuts and unsaturated fats, such as olive and canola oils also help in your effort at reducing cholesterol.
After adjusting your diet, incorporate regular exercise to reduce the total cholesterol in your body. Studies have found that exercise stimulates enzymes that help move cholesterol out of the blood and into the liver to be converted to bile or eliminated.
Supplements can also help lower cholesterol. Recent evidence has shown that red yeast rice, which contains an ingredient similar to the statin in commercially available prescription cholesterol-lowering drugs, along with omega-3 fish oils, can be effective at reducing cholesterol. However, supplements are not subject to FDA regulations and the amount of active ingredient can vary significantly from brand to brand.
The American Heart Association urges people to use cholesterol-lowering medication to bring down high levels, especially if your LDL numbers are high. The current medications either lower LDL, raise HDL, or block the absorption of cholesterol. Statin drugs, like Lipitor, Crestor, and Zocor, effectively lower LDL levels. Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors like, Zetia, block the absorption by the intestine. Other drugs are resins, fibrates, and niacin. Niacin works to lower triglycerides and LDL levels and raise HDL cholesterol.
Most of these drugs have few side effects, but rarely, serious side effects may occur. Tests can be done to minimize the risks. Check with your doctor to see which drug is best for you.
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