The increase in cholesterol can occur due to excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, a sedentary lifestyle and a diet high in fat and sugar, in addition to being linked to family and genetic factors, in which even with good eating habits and regular physical activity , there is an increase in cholesterol, known as familial hypercholesterolemia.
Cholesterol is an important type of fat for the proper functioning of the body and consists of fractions, which are LDL, HDL and VLDL. HDL is cholesterol popularly known as good cholesterol, because it is responsible for the elimination of fat molecules, being considered a protective heart factor, while LDL is known as bad cholesterol, because it can be easily deposited in blood vessels, despite being also essential. for the formation of certain hormones.
- High cholesterol is only a health risk when LDL is very high.
- Particularly or when HDL is very low.
- As it is more likely to cause heart disease.
- Learn more about cholesterol.
The increase in cholesterol has no symptoms, being detected by laboratory tests, in which the entire lipid profile is checked, i. e. HDL, LDL, VLDL and total cholesterol. The main causes of increased cholesterol are:
Because increased cholesterol may also be due to genetic factors, it is important that people with a family history of high cholesterol receive more care and attention when it comes to diet and physical activity, as the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and disease due to high cholesterol is higher.
The main consequence of high cholesterol is the considerable increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease, since due to the increase in LDL, there is a greater deposit of fat in the blood vessels, causing a change in blood flow and, therefore, in activity cardiac. .
Therefore, increasing your cholesterol increases your risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, heart failure, and high blood pressure. This increase does not present symptoms, being diagnosed only by the lipidogram, which is the blood test in which all cholesterol fractions are evaluated. Understand what lipidogram is and how to understand the result.
Treatment is aimed at regulating HDL and LDL levels, so that the total cholesterol value returns to normal, which requires changes in diet, regular physical activity and, in some cases, the cardiologist may recommend the use of medications to lower cholesterol, such as simvastatin and atorvastatin. Learn about other cholesterol-lowering medications.
In the cholesterol-lowering diet, preference should be given to the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, since they are foods rich in fiber that help reduce the absorption of fats in the intestine. In addition, the consumption of red meat, bacon, sausages, Butter, margarine, fried foods, sweets and alcoholic beverages should be avoided. Watch the following video to see some tips for lowering cholesterol through diet: