Description

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the blood. The body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells. But high levels of cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease.

With high levels of cholesterol, fat, and other substances can build up in the blood vessels called arteries. This buildup is called plaque. As more plaque forms over time, the arteries can become narrowed or blocked. That makes it difficult for enough blood flow through the arteries. Sometimes a piece of plaque can rupture and form a blood clot. The clot can cause a heart attack or a stroke.

High cholesterol can be inherited. That means that you can pass on from parents to children through genes. But high cholesterol is often the result of lifestyle choices such as not getting enough exercise, eating a balanced diet or eating large amounts of saturated fats. You can make changes to help prevent it. And if you have high cholesterol, you can help lower with a healthy diet, regular exercise and sometimes medication.

Symptoms

High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to find out if you have.

When to see a doctor

The American Heart Association recommends that children checks, also called selected for high cholesterol once between the ages of 9 and 11. The analysis can start earlier if the child has a family history of high cholesterol, heart attack or a stroke. The detection can also start earlier if a child has conditions such as diabetes or obesity.

The next cholesterol test is recommended for people between the ages of 17 and 21. After that, many adults get their cholesterol levels every 4 to 6 years. People who have health conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes may need to be screened more often. So could those who take cholesterol-lowering drugs. Those that have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease may also need more frequent exams.

If your results are not within the desirable range, your healthcare provider may recommend more frequent testing, as well.

Causes

Lifestyle factors that may be within your control are the most common cause of high cholesterol. These factors include eating a diet high in saturated and trans fats and do not do enough exercise.

Sometimes the factors that are not within your control can lead to high cholesterol levels. These include changes in the genes that pass from parent to child, some health conditions, and certain medications.

Conditions that can cause high cholesterol are:

  • Familial hypercholesterolemia.
  • Chronic kidney disease.
  • Chronic disease of the liver.
  • Diabetes.
  • HIV/AIDS.
  • The hypothyroidism.
  • Lupus.
  • Overweight and obesity.
  • Sleep apnea.

Some types of medications you take for other health conditions can also make cholesterol levels worse. These include treatments for:

  • Acne.
  • Cancer.
  • The high blood pressure.
  • HIV/AIDS.
  • Irregular heart beats.
  • Organ transplants.

Cholesterol travels through the blood, attached to proteins. This mixture of proteins and cholesterol is called a lipoprotein. There are several types of cholesterol. The types are based on what the lipoprotein carries. They are:

  • The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.This is known as the "bad" cholesterol. LDL transports cholesterol particles throughout the body. The "bad" cholesterol builds up in the walls of the arteries. This makes the arteries hard and narrow. When a change in the gene cause high cholesterol, the body has trouble removing LDL cholesterol from the blood. Or the body has trouble breaking down the LDL cholesterol in the liver.
  • The high-density lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol). This is known as the "good" cholesterol. HDL picks up the extra cholesterol and carries it back to the liver.

The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is known as the "bad" cholesterol. LDL transports cholesterol particles throughout the body. The "bad" cholesterol builds up in the walls of the arteries. This makes the arteries hard and narrow.

When a change in the gene cause high cholesterol, the body has trouble removing LDL cholesterol from the blood. Or the body has trouble breaking down the LDL cholesterol in the liver.

More often, a blood test to check cholesterol levels also measures one type of fat in the blood, which is not a type of cholesterol, called triglycerides. Having a high triglyceride level may also increase the risk of heart disease. Lifestyle factors that you can be able to control play a role in the levels of triglycerides.

Risk factors

The risk factors for high cholesterol include:

  • Feeding habits. Eating too much saturated fat or trans fats can lead to high levels of cholesterol. Saturated fats are found in fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products. Sometimes, the trans fats found in packaged snacks or desserts.
  • Obesity. This complex disease involves having too much body fat.
  • The lack of exercise. The exercise helps to increase the body of "good"HDL cholesterol.
  • The habit of smoking. Smoking can reduce the level of HDL cholesterol.
  • The consumption of Alcohol. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can raise your total cholesterol. Try to limit alcohol to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
  • Age. Even young children can have high cholesterol. But it is much more common in people over 40. As you age, your liver becomes less able to remove LDL "bad"cholesterol.

Complications

High cholesterol can lead to other health problems called complications. With high cholesterol, a dangerous amount of plaque can accumulate in the walls of the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis. Over time, the buildup of plaque can cause the arteries to become narrow and block the flow of blood. Less blood flow through the arteries, it can cause complications such as:

  • Chest pain, also called angina. If the arteries that supply blood to the heart is affected, which can cause pain in the chest. It can also cause other symptoms of a common type of heart disease called coronary artery disease.
  • Heart attack. If the wear plates or rupture, a blood clot can form. The clot can block the flow of blood at the site where it was broken. Or it can completely break free and block an artery further. If the flow of blood to a part of the heart stops, of a heart attack. A heart attack is an emergency that requires immediate treatment.
  • Stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to part of the brain. Also it is an emergency that requires immediate treatment.

Prevention

The same heart-healthy lifestyle changes that can reduce cholesterol may also help to prevent high cholesterol. You can practice the following habits:

  • Eating a diet that focuses on lean protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Limit the amount of sodium and added sugar.
  • Also limit the amount of saturated and trans fats that you eat. Instead, eat foods with healthy fats, as fats or fish oil, nuts, and olive oil or canola oil.
  • Lose weight and keep it off.
  • If you smoke, talk with your health care team to help you stop smoking.
  • The exercise on most days of the week for at least 30 minutes.
  • Drink less alcohol, in any case. Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis consists of the steps that your health professional needs to find out if you have high cholesterol. You will receive a blood test to check cholesterol levels. You can listen to a blood test called a lipid panel or lipid profile. The results of the test will usually show:

  • The Total cholesterol.
  • The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
  • The high-density lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol).
  • The triglycerides.

In general, you can't have food or liquid other than water for around 9 to 12 hours before the test. This is called fasting. Some cholesterol tests do not require fasting, so follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

The interpretation of the numbers

In the united States, cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. In Canada and in many European countries, cholesterol levels are measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L). To interpret the results of your test, use these general guidelines.

Children and cholesterol testing

The American Heart Association recommends that children checks, also called selected for high cholesterol once between the ages of 9 and 11. The analysis can start earlier if the child has a family history of high cholesterol, heart attack or a stroke. The detection can also start earlier if a child has conditions such as diabetes or obesity. The next cholesterol test is recommended between the ages of 17 and 21.

Treatment

Treatment options to achieve the ideal of cholesterol and triglyceride levels should be tailored to meet your needs. Talk with your health care professional about what levels are best for you.

Treatment for high cholesterol can include the medicine. Along with the changes of healthy life style, the drug can lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

You can benefit from one or more medications. Depends on things such as their risk factors, the age, health, and the possible side effects of the medicine. Your health professional will help to choose the right treatment for you.

Common cholesterol medications include:

Statins

Statins block a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol. This causes the liver to make less cholesterol, and to remove cholesterol from the blood.

Statins options include:

  • Atorvastatin (Lipitor).
  • Fluvastatin (Lescol XL).
  • Lovastatin (Altoprev).
  • Pitavastatin (Livalo, Zypitamag).
  • Pravastatin.
  • Rosuvastatin (Crestor).
  • Simvastatin (Zocor).

Inhibitors of cholesterol absorption

The small intestine absorbs cholesterol from the food and releases it into the bloodstream. The drug ezetimibe (Zetia) helps to decrease the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. Your health care professional may prescribe ezetimibe with a statin.

Bempedoic acid

Bempedoic acid (Nexletol) works the same way as statins. Your health care professional may prescribe whether statins cause serious side effects for you. Adding bempedoic acid to a statin can help lower LDL cholesterol. A pill that contains both bempedoic acid and ezetimibe, called Nexlizet, is also available.

Bile acid sequestrants

The liver uses cholesterol to produce bile acids. The body needs these substances for digestion. Bile acid sequestrants bind bile acids. This causes the liver to use the extra cholesterol to make more bile acids. In turn, that reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Bile acid sequestrants include cholestyramine (Prevalite), colesevelam (Welchol) and colestipol (Colestid).

PCSK9 inhibitors

These medications may help the liver to absorb more of LDL cholesterol. This reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Alirocumab (Praluent), evolocumab (Repatha) or inclisiran (Leqvio) can be used for people who have a genetic condition that causes very high levels of LDL. These medications can also be used in people with a history of heart disease when statins or other cholesterol medicines are not doing enough to lower the levels of cholesterol. PCSK9 inhibitors are administered as an injection under the skin.

Medications for high triglycerides

If you also have a high triglyceride level, your healthcare provider may prescribe:

  • The fibrates. The drug fenofibrate (Lipofen) and gemfibrozil (Lopid) to accelerate the elimination of triglycerides from the blood. They also help reduce LDL cholesterol. The use of a fibrate with a statin may increase the risk of statin side effects.
  • The niacin. Niacin limits the liver's ability to produce LDL cholesterol. But the niacin does not offer more benefits than a statin. Niacin has also been linked with liver damage and strokes. Most health professionals now recommend it only for people who can't take statins.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids can help to reduce triglycerides. They are available with or without a prescription. If you choose to take supplements without a prescription, talk to your health care professional in the first place. Omega-3 fatty acids may affect other medicines that you take. The cost and effectiveness of the omega-3 fatty acids varies.

Side effects of the medicine

Let your healthcare professional know if your cholesterol medicine cause side effects. For example, the side-effects of statins may include:

  • Muscle aches.
  • Muscle damage (very rare).
  • The increase of sugar in the blood.

If you decide to take cholesterol medication, your health care professional may recommend tests of liver function. These tests help to check the medicine's effect on the liver.

The children and the treatment of cholesterol

More often, making changes in diet and exercise is the first treatment for children 2 years of age and older who have high cholesterol. Children 10 years and older who have high levels of cholesterol may prescribe medications to lower cholesterol such as statins.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Lifestyle changes are important if you have high cholesterol. Try making the following changes healthy:

  • Lose the extra weight. Losing weight can help lower cholesterol.
  • Eating a heart-healthy diet. Focus on foods of plant origin. These include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Limit added sugar and sodium. Also limit saturated fats and trans fats. Healthy fats, found in olive and canola oils, it is a better option. Avocados, nuts and fish are sources of healthy fat.
  • Be active in your everyday life and exercise regularly. Talk with your health care professional if you are not active. Perform at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week.
  • Do not smoke. If you smoke, you can ask your healthcare provider to help you quit smoking.
  • Limit the consumption of alcohol or do not drink it. Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day for women and two for men.
  • Manage stress. Activities like exercise and meditation can help.
  • Get enough sleep. It is ideal for adults to get about 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

Preparing for your appointment

If you're an adult that has not had to regulate the level of cholesterol checks, to make an appointment with your health care professional. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do beforehand. For a cholesterol test, it is likely that you have to stop eating and drinking around 9 to 12 hours before the test. You may be able to have water if your health care team tells you it is okay.

Make a list of:

  • Your symptoms, if any.
  • Key personal information, including a family history of high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, stroke, high blood pressure or diabetes.
  • All medications, vitamins or supplements that you take, including over-dose.
  • Questions to ask your health care professional.

For high cholesterol, some basic questions to ask your health care professional include:

  • What tests do I need?
  • What is the best treatment?
  • With what frequency do I need a cholesterol test?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Feel free to ask questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care team is likely to ask questions such as:

  • What is your power?
  • How much exercise do you get?
  • How much alcohol do you drink?
  • Do you smoke? What is or was around other smokers?
  • When was your last cholesterol test? What were the results?
Symptoms and treatment of High cholesterol