Cholesterol: some information
What is it ?
One time or other you have probably come across the concept of
cholesterol. It could be described as a greasy substance which is non-dissolvable and is used by our body as a kind of building material. Though most of it is produced by our body, especially our liver, it can also be found in some products we eat. We need cholesterol for the construction of body cells, the production of hormones and for our digestion. So you can see that it is an indispensable substance for our body. However, a surplus of it can cause the
arteries to silt up. This, in it’s turn can make
cardiovascular diseases come into being such as a stroke or a coronary.
Good vs. bad cholesterol
Cholesterol can be divided up into two kinds:
good cholesterol and
bad cholesterol. The good kind removes the surplus of cholesterol from the blood stream and vascular walls. This sort of cholesterol is known as
HDL-cholesterol. The other kind is called
LDL-cholesterol or just bad cholesterol. This is the kind that can cause problems to arise. It can pile up on the inside of the artery walls and cause
cardiovascular diseases this way. So when people talk about high cholesterol levels, they usually mean the LDL-cholesterol. Another substance that can cause these kind of disorders is
triglyceride. Just like bad cholesterol it clings to the artery walls.
Measuring your cholesterol
To know if you have a surplus of bad cholesterol you have to measure it. This procedure is quite simple and helps to track a risk at
cardiovascular diseases in time. The test determines your cholesterol and
glucose percentage in your blood, the lung function and the relation height/weight. There are several organisations that organise such a cholesterol measuring. Of course there is always the possibility to consult your GP if you think there is a risk at cardiovascular diseases. It is natural for the cholesterol level to fluctuate. Therefore it’s advised to repeat the measuring when a high cholesterol level has been found. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask your GP for advice.
When am I at risk ?
It always possible for someone to have a
high cholesterol level at one time. As long as it doesn’t last it should be nothing to be worried about. Nevertheless, there are some groups of people that are more likely to be at risk: people with high blood pressure, diabetes or people whose family has a history of cardiovascular diseases. People who show symptoms of
atherosclerosis should ask for a measuring.
