Everyday many Americans are faced with the fact their cholesterol levels are increased. Cholesterol affects the heart health of many people and can put their overall health at risk. Understanding the role cholesterol plays in the human body and the risk involved in causing heart disease is imperative. Once increased cholesterol is diagnosed, treatment options can be examined to improve one’s health. Knowing when something is going wrong in the body is the best way to develop a plan to achieve better health and possibly live a longer life. Since millions of Americans are faced with the diagnosis of high cholesterol, understanding the role cholesterol plays in heart disease and the treatment options available are vital to improving one’s health.
The key to understanding cholesterol is to realize cholesterol plays an important function in the human body. Cholesterol is a steroid-like substance obtained from the food eaten, and made by a healthy liver. Cholesterol is a fatty or waxy like substance which does not dissolve in the bloodstream, (Klapper, 2006, p. 4). Although a fat, cholesterol is a part of every cell in the body and has a useful function. Cholesterol is used to maintain the structure of cell walls and to keep brains healthy. The human body uses cholesterol and fat not only to build cell membranes, but to make required hormones and to form digestive enzymes (Khaleghi, 2011, p. 5). Cholesterol is found in virtually every cell in the human body.
There are two parts which make up the total cholesterol. The cholesterol which has a benefit to the human body is the HDL portion. HDL refers to high-density lipoproteins. LDL, or low-density lipoproteins, is the portion of cholesterol referred to as bad cholesterol. High-density...
... middle of paper ...
...eghi, 2011, p. 166). Statin drugs lower LDL cholesterol levels more than any other type of drug (Khaleghi, 2011, p. 166). Statins reduce LDL levels by blocking the enzyme HMGCoA reductase (Khaleghi, 2011 p. 166). The enzyme HMGCoA reductase produces cholesterol in the liver (Khaleghi, 2011, p. 166). By blocking the enzyme, the liver produces less cholesterol. One reason statins are widely used is because most people taking statins do not have serious side effects and statins can reduce LDL levels by up to sixty percent (Khaleghi, 2011, p. 167). Statins will impact cholesterol levels in about four to six weeks. Studies show statins decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, peripheral arterial disease and death in men and women (Khaleghi, 2011, p. 167). Some of the common brand names for statins on the market today are Mevacor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lescol, and Lipitor.
It was to this respect that, the search could detect ‘’hypertension’’ as the leading risk factor for heart disease. And this preceded three quarters of heart failures cases as compared to coronary artery disease, which led to most heart failures in less than 40% of the cases. Also, an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic diameter became a mirror to the Framingham study as incident heart diseases in the individuals who are free from myocardial infarction. Although studies have shown that, the manifestation of heart failures can be present without the left ventricular systolic dysfunction, other risk factors could lead to that. Also, they (Framingham study) were able to detect ‘’too much of cholesterol’’ as a link to cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, research believed that has elevated among certain heart diseases such as coronary heart often leads to stroke, too high blood pressure among numerous patients. Having said that, the search discovered ‘’obesity’’ also as a concomitantly with hypertension which elevates lipids and diabetes versus questions on smoking behavior. Having said that, these risk factors are believed to have attributed to heart diseases. Therefore, it became a national concern to the general US population and that of the fourth director of Framingham heart study, William Castelli
LDL or bad cholesterol comes from food that is a high source of cholesterol and/or saturated fats. Plaque forms when bad or LDL cholesterol builds up in your bloodstream and attaches to the arterial wall, as more LDL builds up the plaque becomes larger, this can become a major problem for your cardiovascular system. Because plaque is a substance that has rough edges, it reduces the elastic nature of the artery which means your heart will have to work double-time to pump the necessary blood to all your limbs, that will mean your limbs won’t get the amount of oxygen that they require to function properly. Plaque can also narrow the area blood has to pass through, this means your heart has to work overtime and overall capacity of your cardiovascular system is lowered. When the LDL cholesterol embeds itself in the wall of the artery it than damages the artery then blood pressure expands it which causes an aneurysm. When an aneurysm is too weak there is a high possibility of it bursting, when that happens it leaves the cells in and around that area without oxygen. If that artery is connected to a major vital organ the person will most likely die. When the blood flow is slowed it shows a greater risk for blood clots and although blood clots are natural and important to healing broken blood vessels, if blood clots gather inside the blood vessel this proves to be a serious health risk. The clots have the possibility to get stuck and completely cut off the blood flow to cells, leaving them without oxygen and causing them to die. If a clot gets inside a blood vessel connected to a major organ this could cause the person to die. The heart is fed by the coronary artery, if plaque or a blood clot blocks off blood flow to the heart, the heart ...
Hypercholesterolemia is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance and is a major class of lipid, so it gets into the blood by lipoproteins [1]. A high level of lipoproteins is unhealthy. A high level can result in an elevated risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease [2]. The high levels of lipoproteins are often influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors such as obesity or dieting habits [2]. High cholesterol can be caused by mutations in the following genes: APOB, LDLR, LDLRAP1, and PCSK9 [3]. Mutations in the LDLR gene are responsible for causing familial hypercholesterolemia, which is the most commonly seen form of inherited high cholesterol [3]. The LDLR gene contains instructions for making LDL receptors or low-density lipoprotein receptors. LDL receptors play critical roles in regulating levels of cholesterol in the blood by removing low-density lipoproteins from the bloodstream. Mutations in the LDLR gene can make the amount of LDL receptors produced less than normal or affect their job of removing the low-density lipoproteins in the blood [4]. People who have these mutations will have higher levels of cholesterol. There are many ways that the environment can affect the levels of cholesterol in the blood. Reducing the amount of dietary fat you consume lowers the total amount of cholesterol in the blood [5]. Sucrose and fructose can raise the amount of LDL in the blood. Reducing fatty foods will however lower the amount of LDL [5]. Having a healthy body and maintaining physical exercise plays a key role in keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level. If you are overweight or obese you can lower your cholesterol levels by simply losing ...
CAD is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the worldwide. The prevalence of biological and metabolic risk factors were also found to be high in development of coronary artery disease. Patients with hypercholesterolemia are at increased risk to experience cardiovascular events and to die from vascular disease [2]. .Statins, among the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide, are cholesterol let downing agents used to manage cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases and to treat hypercholesterolemia. Statin’s therapy ...
The data presented in this table supports the conclusion of Purdy et al. (2005) that the inclusion of cholesterol to the CHO cell membranes will result in significant changes to the membrane, confirming the established function of cholesterol as a regulator of membrane fluidity.
It can be prevented naturally by practicing vegetarianism which refers to those who practice a diet low in meat and fish or may not consume meat products at all. Vegetarianism diet offers an advantage because people who practice or change their lifestyle to no meat consumption have lower body mass index (BMI), and can reverse the effects of atherosclerosis. (reducing, 2010). However, people have to be careful while practicing it because a poorly vegetarian diet can cause anemia, fatigue, decreased zinc, decreased vitamin C. Also it can decrease B12 and this may cause neural tube defects, congenital heart defects, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. It is very important to educate vegetarians to have a vitamin B supplementation to prevent another type of conditions. (reducing, 2010). There is another way to prevent or reverse heart disease by consuming seven heart nutrients which are fiber, fish oil, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K, zinc, and COQ10. Also, there are statin drugs such as Crestor (rosuvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin) that are being prescribe to cholesterol-lowering but there is a concern about their safety and effectiveness. There is an alternative to these types of drugs. The statin alternatives are Niacin (B3) known to be effective in lowering blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and citrus flavones that work blocking the enzymes in the liver
One source of great mortality and morbidity in Europe and North America is the cardiovascular disease, Atherosclerosis. It is recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease of the intermediate and large arteries characterized by the thickening of the arterial wall and is the primary cause of coronary and cerebrovascular heart disease (Wilson, 2005). It accounts for 4.35 million deaths in Europe and 35% death in the UK each year. Mortality rate are generally higher in men than pre-menopausal woman. Past the menopause, a woman’s risk is similar to a man’s (George and Johnston, 2010). Clinical trials have confirmed that lipid accumulation, endothelial dysfunction, cell proliferation, inflammation matrix alteration and foam cell formation are characteristic features of the earliest pathogenesis of atherosclerotic disease, and that therapies targeted towards the treatment of those conditions are beneficial (Varghese et al 2005). This essay will summarise the development and factors predispose to atherogenesis, and discuss how the comprehension of cell and molecular based mechanism has led to novel therapies for atherosclerosis.
Education plays a dominant role in the lives of students all over the United States. Since most students spend roughly eight to twelve hours in school, it is important to make sure that they are provided with a healthy and nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack.
Six moths ago I scheduled a physical and blood work, a month later I was diagnosed with high cholesterol. My total cholesterol levels were at 250, with and LDL of 150, which puts me at a higher risk of cardiovascular illness. I was given the option of changing my eating habits with a combination of exercise to manage and lower my cholesterol levels, thus avoiding the need for medication. The dr. was very supportive, he had many helpful suggestions and showed me several ways in which I could lower my cholesterol by making simple food choices. After a long discussion I decided this was the way to go, I hate taking medication. When I reviewed the analysis report and saw that my cholesterol continues to be above the recommended range I let out a huge sigh, it took a few seconds to compose myself before I continued to look over it. This whole time I thought I had maintained my cholesterol under control, the analysis report proved that I was wrong. It is important that I make changes on how I eat. High cholesterol is indicative of cardiovascular illnesses that possibly result in serious chronic diseases. Diseases that are linked to high cholesterol are Coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. The main risk from cholesterol is heart attacks. If the cholesterol remains high, it can build up overtime in the walls of the arteries forming a build up known as plaque. This plaque will cause the arteries
1972 fluid mosaic model. Lipids are commonly recognized as fats, oils, wax, etc. There are three
My DRI of cholesterol was maxed at 300mg and my intake was 267mg. Still relatively high so could start consuming Oatmeal for breakfast in which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Also, I...
There are many more lipids than I have mentioned in my research paper, there are over a 100 know lipids. Lipids are very important for our body and cells and they carry out many function. They provide nutrients for our body. Lipids are a category of nutrients. Lipids consist of fats, oils, and waxes and are very important for are body’s health. Lipids are important for the human body because they are for storing energy, they’re good at storing energy because they can concentrate a group of calories in a smaller area. Lipids are also used to make soaps, detergents and waxes. These are things that we use in every day life.
The tendency to build up high cholesterol may run in families, but extremely high levels are usually the result of a poor diet high in saturated fats and calories, along with little or no exercise. In some cases, high levels of cholesterol may be associated with undiagnosed medical symptoms such as diabetes or low thyroid function. According to the American Heart Association, there would eventually be a 50 percent lower rate of heart disease if Americans would lower their blood cholesterol levels by 25 percent. These statements find confirmation in a 1984 report done by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institution on the results of a 10 year study. It showed that for every 1 percent of lowered cholesterol, the chances of a heart attack are lowered by 2 percent.
Since we have been learning about nutrition in class, our task was to record a food log. Nutrition requires a well-balanced diet containing nutrient and vitamins like amino acids and fatty acids. Over the past seven days I have been recording and have been looking very carefully at my intake of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and fats. In our task, the objective was to record the basic foods we ate during the period of seven, but it did not require recording every single detail or our intake of food. Doing this food log was a pain and it was disturbing because I never wrote about what I ate like breakfast, lunch, dinner, or additional meals. I found this food log useful because it helped me learn what I can change in my intake of foods to make my diet healthy and to see what about my diet is affecting me from being healthy because I could affect me in the future.
Proper nutrition is one of the most essential elements to being healthy and living a long life. People deal with food every day, and food has been a part of life since the beginning of civilization. What we eat becomes our diet, and our diet plays a major role in deciding how healthy we are and how well our body functions. Without proper diet, our body cannot carry out the functions it needs to perform. Most people have some common knowledge on what is good and what is bad for the human body to consume. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains are some common items people think of when they think of healthy foods. However, it is not enough just to know what foods are good for your body, it is also important to understand why certain foods are good for you and what they do to help the body function.