What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat produced by the body and also derived from animal foods. This compound helps the body produce vitamin D, several hormones, and bile acids to digest fats.
In appropriate amounts, this substance is actually needed by the body to help build new cells. Its purpose is to keep the body functioning normally.
Additionally, this compound is needed for digestion, hormone production, and forming vitamin D. However, if the levels are too high, it can be dangerous for the body, leading to various diseases and complications.
In the blood, this compound is carried by proteins. The combination of these is called lipoproteins. The two main types of lipoproteins are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol.
LDL's role is to transport cholesterol from the liver to the cells that need it. However, if the amount exceeds the need, it can deposit on the artery walls, leading to disease.
Meanwhile, HDL's task is to transport cholesterol back to the liver, opposite to LDL. In the liver, this compound will be broken down or removed from the body through feces.
Cholesterol levels in the blood vary, depending on whether you have a high or low risk of arterial disease. Meanwhile, cholesterol levels in the blood can be measured with a total cholesterol test.
Causes of High Cholesterol
If the level in the blood exceeds normal levels, this condition is called hypercholesterolemia or high cholesterol. This condition can increase the risk of serious diseases.
Typically, heart attacks and strokes are diseases that threaten people with hypercholesterolemia due to excessive cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels.
Consuming foods high in cholesterol or lacking exercise can also cause excess cholesterol. However, hereditary factors can also be a trigger.
Additionally, medical conditions that can cause unhealthy cholesterol levels include:
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Diabetes.
- HIV/AIDS.
- Hypothyroidism.
- Lupus.
Risk Factors for High Cholesterol
Factors that can increase the risk of unhealthy cholesterol levels include:
- Poor diet, such as consuming a lot of saturated or trans fats.
- Obesity. Having a body mass index of 30 or more places someone at risk of hypercholesterolemia.
- Lack of exercise. Exercise helps increase HDL levels in the body.
- Smoking. This habit can lower HDL levels.
- Alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can increase total cholesterol levels.
- Age. The risk is more common in people over 40. As you age, the liver becomes less able to remove LDL cholesterol.
Symptoms of High Cholesterol
High cholesterol usually does not cause any symptoms. In most cases, symptoms only appear when this condition leads to plaque formation in the arteries.
Plaque can narrow the arteries so that only a small amount of blood can pass through them. Plaque formation changes the structure of the arterial lining. When there is a deposit on the arterial walls, there is a reduction in blood flow to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body.
High cholesterol increases the risk of narrowing of the arteries or atherosclerosis, blood clots in certain parts of the body, transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, and heart attack.
Complaints of High Cholesterol
Pain in the chest or arms (angina) during stress or heavy physical activity can also occur due to high cholesterol levels.
Hypercholesterolemia also increases the risk of coronary heart disease. If diet is not changed and smoking is not stopped, those with this condition will be at higher risk of stroke or heart disease. Cigarettes contain a chemical called acrolein.
This substance can stop the activity of good cholesterol or HDL from transporting fat deposits to the liver. As a result, arterial narrowing or atherosclerosis can occur.
Diagnosis of High Cholesterol
Cholesterol level checks should be done if you experience symptoms of being overweight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or have other diseases that can increase cholesterol levels.
If there is a close family member with cholesterol-related disease or a family member with a history of cardiovascular disease at a young age, cholesterol level checks are recommended.
Diagnosis is based on blood tests and physical examinations of the symptoms experienced by the patient. Family history checks will also be conducted by the doctor.
This aims to ensure if there are other medical conditions causing excessive cholesterol levels in the blood.
A simple blood test commonly used by doctors to measure cholesterol levels is the lipid panel test. This test helps assess total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides levels.
To perform this test, the doctor will take your blood sample and send it to the laboratory for analysis. When the test results are out, the doctor will inform you if your cholesterol or triglyceride levels are too high. Before doing a lipid panel, the doctor will ask you to fast for 12 hours beforehand.
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