High Blood Cholesterol Symptoms

It is a well-known fact that the levels of cholesterol in your blood are directly connected with your risks of suffering heart diseases. One of the main risks factors of heart diseases is high levels of cholesterol in the blood and therefore, the higher your cholesterol levels, the greater you are at a risk of developing a heart problem or even suffering a heart attack. Heart diseases have become such a major problem in the United States that millions of men and women die from them every year. Studies indicate that heart diseases have become the number one cause of death in men and women in the US. Unfortunately, people who are completely educated about heart diseases, their causes, symptoms and treatment are a lot more likely to suffer heart attacks, as compared to others.

Therefore, it is essential for all people to keep themselves aware of what the different high blood cholesterol signs are.

Most people regard chest pain as one of the first high blood cholesterol signs. However, the truth is that there are no specific signs and symptoms associated with high blood cholesterol at all. However, people do tend to go in for a blood test, if they experience chest pain on a frequent basis. The only definite way to confirm if the levels of cholesterol in the body are high or not is by carrying out a blood test. People who are at a high risk of heart related problems are generally advised to undergo blood tests to check their cholesterol levels on a regular basis.

High Blood Cholesterol Causes

There are different types of cholesterol that are carried by the lipoproteins in the blood. These include Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is the bad cholesterol in the blood, which transports unhealthy cholesterol particles through the body. It is the buildup of LDL in the body that causes the walls of the arteries to become hard and narrow, therefore, leading to heart problems. VLDL contains the most amount of a fat known as triglycerides. People who are taking medication for high cholesterol, but also have high levels of VLDL in the blood, are often advised to take additional medication in order to lower the levels of triglycerides in the body. Finally, the HDL, which is like the good cholesterol in the bloodstream picks up all the excessive unhealthy cholesterol particles and takes them back to the liver. Hence, it is important for all people to ensure that the levels of HDL or good cholesterol in the body remain high, while the LDL or the bad cholesterol remains in control.

Unfortunately, in most people, the levels of unhealthy cholesterol, i.e. LDL are much higher than what they should be, which is why they are at a high risk of heart problems. One of the most common reasons for high blood cholesterol is following a diet that is high in fat and cholesterol. People who are obese or severely overweight are also more likely to suffer from high cholesterol. However, this does not mean that thin people do not have high cholesterol levels.

Some of the other reasons for high blood cholesterol include lack of adequate physical activity, excess stress and genetic factors.

High Blood Cholesterol Treatment

In order to prevent heart attacks or other heart related problems, it is important for people to follow the right high blood cholesterol treatment guidelines as soon as possible. There are a few medicines that may be recommended as a part of the high blood cholesterol cure. At times, a patient may be required to take a combination of different medicines to control the levels of cholesterol in the blood. Some of the medicines that may be prescribed include statins, bile acid binding resins and cholesterol absorption inhibitors. The medicines that help reduce the levels of triglycerides in the body are different, as they include fibrates, niacin and omega-3 fatty acid supplements. The effectiveness of the medication may vary from person to person, based on factors like age, gender and overall health.

High blood cholesterol treatment guidelines are incomplete without a high blood cholesterol diet. People who have high cholesterol need to follow a heart healthy diet, which includes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain, low fat dairy products, lean meat, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. Red meat and certain varieties of seafood should be eaten rarely. Junk food, fried food and oily food should be strictly avoided.

Fortunately, there are certain remedies for high blood cholesterol too, which can be included in the diet and treatment plan. Some of the most highly recommended home remedies for high blood cholesterol include artichoke, garlic, oat bran, coriander seeds and sunflower seeds. Adequate amounts of exercise, rest and sleep are also essential for maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol in the body.

High Blood Cholesterol Levels

It is a well-known fact that there is a strong correlation between high blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular diseases. In fact most people suffer from cardiovascular and heart diseases mainly because the levels of cholesterol in their blood are excessively high. In fact, there are certain high blood cholesterol risk factors too, which means that some people who have certain habits or health conditions are more likely to suffer from cholesterol problems. Some of the lifestyle choices and health conditions that could cause people to suffer from excessively high blood cholesterol levels include:

Obesity: Overweight people are at a much higher risk of high cholesterol, especially those, who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) reading of 30 or more.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle: Exercising is a great way of increasing the levels of HDL in the body, which gets rid of the bad cholesterol. The lack of adequate physical activity during the day could cause the levels of unhealthy cholesterol in the body to go high.
Diabetes: High amounts of blood sugar cause the unhealthy cholesterol or the LDL in the body to rise. Levels of blood sugar that are too high could also cause damage to the lining of the arteries.
Smoking: This habit is known to damage the blood vessel walls, causing fatty deposits to accumulate in them.
Poor eating habits: This is one of the most common factors leading to high cholesterol. Consuming oil, whole dairy products and red meat or other animal products causes the levels of cholesterol to rise to very high levels.

Submitted on January 16, 2014