Posts Tagged ‘High Cholesterol’
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AHA Scientific Position
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. But a high level of cholesterol in the blood — hypercholesterolemia — is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.
Cholesterol and other fats can’t dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds, but the ones to focus on are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
What is LDL cholesterol?
Low-density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. A clot (thrombus) that forms near this plaque can block the blood flow to part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results. High cholesterol reflects an increased risk of heart disease. If you have heart disease, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dL and your doctor may even set your goal to be less than 70 mg/dL. That’s why LDL cholesterol is called ‘bad’ cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease.
What is HDL cholesterol?
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL cholesterol is known as ‘good’ cholesterol because a high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. The opposite is also true: a low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dL in men; less than 50 mg/dL in women) indicates a greater risk. A low HDL cholesterol level also may raise stroke risk.
This is a test title
AHA Scientific Position
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. But a high level of cholesterol in the blood — hypercholesterolemia — is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.
Cholesterol and other fats can’t dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds, but the ones to focus on are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
What is LDL cholesterol?
Low-density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. A clot (thrombus) that forms near this plaque can block the blood flow to part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results. High cholesterol reflects an increased risk of heart disease. If you have heart disease, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dL and your doctor may even set your goal to be less than 70 mg/dL. That’s why LDL cholesterol is called ‘bad’ cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease.
What is HDL cholesterol?
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL cholesterol is known as ‘good’ cholesterol because a high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. The opposite is also true: a low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dL in men; less than 50 mg/dL in women) indicates a greater risk. A low HDL cholesterol level also may raise stroke risk.
Why Obesity Has Risen So Much in the Past 4 Decades and The Health Problems It Causes
The obesity rate in America is going up rapidly and something that has many doctors very concerned. The medical community are guessing some states will have a rate of half of their residents being obese by the year 2011. This was never a problem forty years ago and a lot of our society lifestyle changes are to cause for this rapid obesity rate going up. Obesity creates a lot of issues such as heart attacks, diabetes, hip and Rockford knee pain, hypertension and high cholesterol. The lack of physical movement and increase in being sedentary is also creating new health problems like Rockford carpal tunnel syndrome from sitting at a computer all day, increased BMI factor with more fat percentage than muscle on a body, and poor posture from being hunched over the computer or lounging around on the couch all day.
The rate of obesity in America back in the 1960’s was at 13% and by the year 2000, it was at a whopping 31% with educated guesses of it reaching to 50% of the population in some states in the next few years. Being overweight, obese or morbidly obese which is over 100 pounds over your normal weight is causing a great deal of health issues in Americans. One of the largest problems has to do with the heart and diabetes. Having so much extra weight can cause a lot of strain on your heart and if you are eating high fat foods everyday this will clog all of your arteries going to your heart making you a high risk for a heart attack or heart disease.
Diabetes is also increased a lot due to the rise in obesity in this country. In the past it was rare to see a child with diabetes related to weight gain as it was typically a health problem that hit overweight adults. Now, children are being diagnosed with this adult onset type of diabetes because they are so overweight. Some of the symptoms of diabetes are the constant need to urinate, dry skin, blurry eyesight, numbness and tingling in the extremities and extreme fatigue. If left untreated, it could be fatal.
With so many people spending all day at their computers for work or for pleasure, there are new problems that are rising from that and being inactive. A big increase in carpal tunnel syndrome has occurred from typing on a computer keyboard all day long causing a strain on this part of the hands. This was not a problem back in the 60’s and 70’s and now is a very common problem. Also being overweight and not active has caused a many people to have pain in their joints, particularly in their knees and hips. That extra weight is putting a lot of pressure on the joints and the lack of exercise leaves no muscle strength to support these joints to be strong.
The need to {stop|reverse] this obesity epidemic is urgent with more and more people suffering serious health problems from being overweight and inactive.