Find out about dyslipidemia and elevated cholesterol!

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in blood lipids. Its role in the body is helpful in the process of producing new cells, but as long as it remains at a healthy level. When cholesterol exceeds the permissible limits it begins causing serious heart health problems. When a person has high cholesterol, their blood vessels are blocked by fats, thus obstructing the blood circulation through the arteries. The heart does not receive the oxygen it needs and the risk of a heart attack increases. In addition, if blood does not flow through the brain properly, it can cause a stroke.

Lipid disorders in women and men
Dyslipidemia (as called blood lipid disorder) can be inherited, but in most cases it is a consequence of lifestyle (unhealthy diet, obesity, lack of exercise). It is therefore easy to understand that this is a disorder both easily prevented and treated.

The solution lies in a healthy diet, regular physical exercise and sometimes taking the right medication.

Blood cholesterol levels should be checked at least every 5 years for anyone over the age of 20. A person's lipid profile should be checked frequently for men over 35 and women over 45. The lipoprotein profile includes the control of total cholesterol, bad cholesterol, good cholesterol and triglycerides.

Total cholesterol
LDL-bad cholesterol
HDL-good cholesterol

Triglycerides are fats that are carried in the blood through our food. Excess calories, alcohol or sugar in the body are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells throughout the body.

The results of these measurements are not enough to determine the exact size of the risk for heart disease or to determine how this risk can be mitigated. It is, however, part of a larger function that includes blood pressure level, age, whether the patient is a smoker or not, as well as if there is any medication for hypertension involved.

A doctor in cooperation with the patient can choose which method of treatment will be applied, based on the risk that this patient has had over a period of 10 years.