Understanding the risks of having high level of bad cholesterol is very important since knowing that can prevent us having serious health problems.Nowadays there have been many studies on the risk of having high Density Lipoprotein (LDL). In the study of good vs. bad cholesterol it’s all about ratios. The good cholesterol, which is the High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), needs to be high enough in relation to the bad cholesterol called Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). When there is not the proper balance or LDL is just too high, then the arteries can become clogged with excess cholesterol and result is a condition where the arteries become hardened called atherosclerosis.
Scientists have long known that HDL does a good job of cleansing the arteries from the waxy buildup of too much LDL cholesterol in the blood. All cholesterol is linked with apolipoprotein, a molecule that carries the cholesterol through the body. HDL cholesterol has a form of Apo with it that is the ApoAl molecule. It is this molecule that makes HDL the great cleanser. (more…)
Having high level of bad cholesterol is a big problem for every one since this is so risky for their health. Thus many medical experts try hard to solve that serious problem. As we know when cholesterol levels have reached such a critical level it is not uncommon for doctors to recommend certain procedures and devices to surgically remove the dangerous build up of plaque resulting from long term high cholesterol. Most people today are aware of their cholesterol readings and have the choice for lowering cholesterol or face one of these serious and invasive procedures.
Angioplasty is a process of expanding the arteries, generally those surrounding the heart so that the blood can freely flow once again. This is done to prevent a complete closing of the artery which would lead to a potentially fatal heart attack. The arteries are expanded by inserting a balloon like device into the blood vessel and then “blowing” it up. This stretches the artery and keeps it open. The elasticity of the artery may not support doing this procedure more than a few times. (more…)
The Medical Knowledge is now growing very fast. It is used to overcome some medical problems. Pharmacist and scientist have been trying hard to solve the problem of lowering Cholesterol.One of them is the invention of Statin Drugs.Statin drugs used for lowering cholesterol have been proven effective, and the results are normally seen by testing the blood for cholesterol levels. However, the impact of these drugs in removing the build-up from artery walls was only assumed until Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) confirmed the results.
The scans of artery walls using MRI indicated that after six months on the statin drugs, not only were lowered cholesterol levels found in the blood, but the cholesterol plaque attached to the walls of the arteries was thinner. The use of MRI to determine this began at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. (more…)
Athletes have long been known to use anabolic steroids to increase lean muscle mass and give them stronger and better performance. What they may not realize is that they are putting their cholesterol level at a dangerous point by both raising LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowering HDL (good) cholesterol.
A study of the impact of anabolic steroids on those with HIV wasting disease first brought this information to light. Within 12 weeks of using an anabolic steroid, patients with the disease had negatively impacted their cholesterol level. The steroid use in this case did just what was intended - increase the muscle mass in men who were at a high risk of dying, making the impact on cholesterol much less important compared to the short term benefit of the steroid. However, for athletes, body builders or others looking for a fountain of youth, steroid use has been found to pose a different type of risk and life threatening danger. (more…)
When it comes to cholesterol levels, men have a step up on maintaining lower cholesterol. It is not exactly known why more women seem to have higher cholesterol levels than men, but the numbers indicate women may be putting themselves at a greater risk for heart disease when LDL cholesterol levels remain too high. Men on the other hand have their share of problems related to high cholesterol and need to work just as hard at reducing cholesterol.
Here are some facts that indicate high cholesterol is still in fact dangerous for both men and women:
Women
* White non-Hispanic females are the highest risk group for high cholesterol
* 25% of American women have high cholesterol (overall cholesterol that is higher than 200 mg/dL).
* 41.6% of Mexican-American women have high cholesterol
* 55% of women over 55 have high cholesterol. This is because estrogen helps regulate LDL cholesterol and as estrogen drops in the post menopausal years, cholesterol can increase.
* Women with high levels of cholesterol have twice as much risk of developing heart disease. (more…)
Cholesterol levels are an important health marker. When cholesterol is excessively high it can lead to a wide range of coronary diseases. One study conducted on men between the ages of 40 and 84 also concluded that cholesterol levels, especially the ratio between total cholesterol and the so called “good” high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, can negatively impact blood pressure.
Hypertension, the study found, was more common in the men who did not treat cholesterol. After 14 years 1,019 men out of the 3,110 in the study now had high blood pressure after not being treated for high cholesterol and with no prior history of blood pressure problems. (more…)
