Cholesterol Test To Avoid Common Disorders

Hypercholesterolemia is basically a medical condition that is characterized by high levels of cholesterol in the blood. High cholesterol is not considered to be a disease. It is referred to as a metabolic derangement. Elevated levels of cholesterol are caused due to lipoprotein levels going awry in the blood. This is caused by genetic factors, diet and other medical conditions such as diabetes or hypothyroidism.

Treatment for high cholesterol involves eating a diet that is low in cholesterol and possibly taking medications. It may however cause other disorders, like coronary heart disease, which can result in surgery.

While there are no specific symptoms that you can see when someone has elevated levels of cholesterol, the condition can cause other diseases to occur. This is why it’s recommended that adults get a cholesterol test (full lipid panel) at least once every 5 years. Some of the conditions that can be fostered by high cholesterol are as follows:

Coronary heart disease – Cholesterol is significantly related to CHD or coronary heart disease. As the cholesterol levels increase, they block arteries and do not allow oxygen and nutrition to reach heart muscles that pump blood. As a result these muscles are unable to perform their function properly, resulting in chest pain, something that can ultimately lead to a myocardial infarction – aka, a heart attack – if the problem is not brought under control.

cholesterol testing helps you avoid other problems, like high cholesterol

Some complications of high blood pressure.

Stroke – As the blood supply to the brain reduces due to narrow arteries a stroke becomes more imminent. Sometimes a vessel may burst if the narrow passage cannot sustain the pressure with which the blood is pumped.

Hypertension – High blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol are linked. As the cholesterol plaque and calcium narrows the passage way, the heart works harder to pump blood to ensure that it reaches all parts of the body. This results in abnormally high blood pressure.

Peripheral vascular disease – This is a condition that refers to the blood vessels other than those related to the heart and the brain. As fatty deposits start to occur in the peripheral vessels, issues related to the limbs may start to occur as well.

Prevention of High Cholesterol

Prevention of high levels of cholesterol can significantly reduce the chances of getting the aforementioned diseases. And prevention of high cholesterol is best done by controlling the diet in healthy ways. A high fiber diet along with fresh vegetables and fruits is recommended by the American Heart Association.

In addition to diet control, giving up a sedentary lifestyle and adopting a more active one can help in cholesterol management to a large extent. Take up a sport or make sure that you walk for at least an hour every day. Decide on the specific activity levels that you need to maintain depending on your age after consultation with a physician.

If you have already been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you may want to check your levels regularly with a home cholesterol test. This easy to use test can be conducted from home so that you do not have to go all the way to the laboratory every time to get your cholesterol levels checked.

Article by Anne Hamilton

One single comment

  1. Simple cardioprotective food choices for those at risk of cardiovascular disease.
    Increase consumption of:
    Garlic
    Porridge Oats
    Oily fish – mackerel, salmon, herring
    Unsalted nuts, seeds
    Olive Oil
    Onions
    Tea, especially green tea
    Blueberries, prunes, strawberries
    Fruit and vegetables
    Beans and pulses
    Wholegrains

    Reduce/Avoid consumption of:
    Coffee
    Fried foods
    White bread, pasta
    Nicotine
    Biscuits, soft drinks
    Excess alcohol/spirits
    Excess saturated/hydrogenated fats
    High sodium foods – e.g. bacon, tinned soup, pickles
    Table sugar – FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharrides) powder is an ideal substitute sweetener and valuable fibre source