You should know! is it dangerous or good cholesterol for us?

Cholesterol and its treatment

 sehat selalu- Cholesterol is a useful fat for the body. However, if the levels in the body are too high, cholesterol will accumulate in the blood vessels and interfere with blood flow.

Cholesterol is a substance that is produced naturally by the liver, but can also be found in foods of animal origin, such as meat and milk. Cholesterol is needed by the body to form healthy cells, produce a number of hormones, and produce vitamin D. Although important for the body, cholesterol can be detrimental to health if levels are too high.

Cholesterol Symptoms

High cholesterol does not cause symptoms. As a result, many people do not realize they have high cholesterol levels, until serious complications such as heart disease or stroke arise. Therefore, it is important to do a blood test to find out normal or high cholesterol.

For adults, it is advisable to do cholesterol checks every 4-6 years, starting at the age of 20 years.

Although it is rare to experience high cholesterol, cholesterol checks in children are also recommended when the child is 9-11 years old, and repeated at the age of 17-21. In children from families with diabetes and high cholesterol, cholesterol checks are recommended when the child is 2-8 years old and repeated at 12-16 years of age.

Cholesterol Types

To find out normal cholesterol levels, you need to first understand the types of cholesterol and their functions. Basically, cholesterol cannot dissolve in the blood. Therefore, the liver produces substances called lipoproteins to distribute cholesterol throughout the body. There are two main types of lipoproteins, namely:

1.Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

LDL functions to carry cholesterol throughout the body through arterial blood vessels. If the levels are too high, LDL will build up in the walls of the arteries. LDL is known as "bad cholesterol".

2.High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

HDL functions to return excess cholesterol to the liver, to be excreted from the body. Hence, HDL is known as "good cholesterol".

Apart from the two types of cholesterol above, there are also other types of fat called triglycerides that are often checked. Different from cholesterol, which the body needs to form cells and a number of hormones, triglycerides are used as a source of energy.

Triglycerides are formed when the body changes the remaining calories that the body does not use. If the body continues to get more calories than it uses, triglyceride levels will rise. This condition can also increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Below are normal cholesterol values ​​consisting of LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol, which can be found from a blood test:

LDL: less than 100 mg / dL.

HDL: 60 mg / dL or more.

Triglycerides: less than 150 mg / dL.

Total cholesterol: less than 200 mg / dL.

It is important to remember, the higher the HDL cholesterol level, the better for the body. Conversely, the higher the levels of LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol, the worse for health. High cholesterol is a combination of high total and LDL cholesterol and low HDL.

Danger of High Cholesterol

Excess cholesterol levels need to be treated. If left untreated, this dangerous high cholesterol will build up on the walls of the arteries and form plaque, making the arteries narrow. This condition is called atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis can eventually block blood flow, resulting in the following dangerous diseases:

a. Blockages can occur in the arteries of the heart, so that the heart muscle is not properly nourished.

b. A heart attack can occur when blood flow to the heart becomes completely blocked.

c.   A stroke can occur when blood flow to the brain becomes blocked.

d. Peripheral artery disease can occur when blood flow to the limbs becomes blocked.

Causes of High Cholesterol

Hypercholesterolemia or high cholesterol can be triggered by an unhealthy lifestyle, illness, and heredity, as will be explained below.

1. Unhealthy lifestyle

Consumption of foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat can lead to high cholesterol. Examples of these foods are fried foods, full cream milk, chicken skin, and offal. Other habits that can increase cholesterol levels are lack of exercise and smoking.

2. Congenital Diseases

People with obesity, diabetes, and hypothyroidism are prone to suffer from high cholesterol.

3. Heredity

High cholesterol can be triggered by changes or mutations in a number of genes, which are passed down from both parents. This gene mutation prevents the body from removing cholesterol from the blood. However, high cholesterol due to genetic factors is less common when compared to the two previous factors.

 

How to Lower Cholesterol

High cholesterol can be lowered by living a healthy lifestyle, as described below:

1. Exercise

Exercising regularly can help raise HDL levels, and prevent heart attacks. Do moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, such as jogging, cycling, swimming, or aerobic exercise.

2. Healthy diet

Implementing a healthy diet is important to keep cholesterol levels normal. Avoid cooking food by frying it. As an alternative, process the food by baking, boiling, or steaming.

3. Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Another way is to increase the consumption of high-fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables. Avoid consuming red meat, offal, egg yolks, full cream milk, cheese, and snacks such as cakes and biscuits. Instead, increase the consumption of fish and foods with omega 3 content, such as avocados and nuts.

4. Medicines

 If the two methods above have been undertaken but cholesterol levels are still high, several types of drugs can be used according to doctor's recommendations, namely:

a. Statin class drugs, such as simvastatin and atorvastatin.

b. Ezetimibe.

If the patient's triglyceride level is also high, the doctor will also prescribe the following drugs:

a. Fibrates, such as fenofibrate and gemfibrozil.

b. Omega 3 supplements. c. Vitamin B3 (niacin).

 

Source : https://www.alodokter.com

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