Friday 6 August 2010

Cholesterol and Atherosclerosis

Some say that along with the better economic level, the opportunity for a good meal even bigger. Can be interpreted with a good meal to eat food that tastes good. But the term good food in large cities turned out to be a tasty foods, fried foods, fatty foods, and low in fiber.

Everyone likes a good meal. However, do not be too far because it is dangerous for health. Cholesterol is a lot of good food contained may increase the risk of disease due to disruption of blood vessels through a process of narrowing and blockage of blood vessels called atherosclerosis.



Hyper-cholesterol, is the term for blood cholesterol levels high. Laboratory results showed the number 250 mg / dL, which include high cholesterol levels. Not many realize that hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor causes of death at younger ages. Based on World Health Organization report in 2002, there were 4.4 million deaths caused by hypercholesterolemia or equal to 7.9% of the total number of deaths at younger ages.




Whereas hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia, including the major risk factor for vascular disease such as coronary heart disease that can be changed. Do not wait for illness to come but do it a way to fix it. Not quite the usual way to overcome hypercholesterolemia, needed a clever way to address the cholesterol.
For that, let us refer to the following explanation:

1. Cholesterol, Fat Families Included
2. Bad fats (LDL) vs Fat Good (HDL)
3. Atherosclerosis and Bad Effects
4. Cholesterol Levels
5. Control of Cholesterol
6. Cholesterol Treatment
7. Treatment of hypercholesterolemia

1. Cholesterol, Fat Families Included

Cholesterol is actually one component of fat. As we know, fat is one of the nutrients needed by our bodies in addition to other nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Fat is one energy source that provides the highest calories. Besides, as one source of energy, actually fat or cholesterol in particular is indeed a substance that is needed by our body, especially to form the walls of cells in the body.

Cholesterol is also the base material forming the steroid hormones. The cholesterol we need, normally produced by the body in the right amount. But he could be increased in number due to intake of foods derived from animal fats, eggs and so-called junk foods (junk food).

Excessive cholesterol in the body will be buried in the walls of blood vessels and cause a condition called atherosclerosis or hardening of blood vessel constriction. This condition is a forerunner of heart disease and stroke.

2. Bad fats (LDL) vs Fat Good (HDL)

Cholesterol is a type of fat in the body and is divided into LDL, HDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides. From the liver, cholesterol is transported by a lipoprotein called LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) is brought into the body cells that require, including to the heart muscle cells, brain and others in order to function properly.

Excess cholesterol will be transported back by a lipoprotein called HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) to be brought back to the liver which would then be elaborated and put into the gallbladder as an acid (liquid) bile.

LDL contains more fat than the HDL so that it will float in the blood. The main proteins that form is the Apo-B LDL (apolipoprotein-B). LDL is considered as the fats are "bad" cholesterol because it can cause the attachment of blood vessel walls.

In contrast, HDL is called the fat is "good" because the operation he was clearing excess cholesterol from blood vessel walls to transport it back to the liver. The main proteins that form of HDL is Apo-A (apolipoprotein). HDL has less fat content and has high density so that more heavy.

3. Atherosclerosis and Bad Effects

Excessive cholesterol in the blood would be easily attached to the inner walls of blood vessels. Furthermore, LDL will penetrate the walls of blood vessels through endothelial cell layers, into the layer of blood vessel walls more in the intima.

LDL that had infiltrated into the intima will experience the first stages of oxidation to form oxidized LDL. -Oxidized LDL will stimulate the formation of substances that attach and the performance is interesting monocytes (a type of white blood cells) through endothelial layer and into the intima.

In addition, oxidized LDL also produce substances that can change the monocytes that have been entered into the intima into macrophages. Meanwhile-oxidized LDL oxidation will experience a second phase to be perfectly oxidized LDL that can change the macrophages into foam cells.
Foam cells are formed will bind together to form lumps that grew so large that form a lump which resulted in narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels.

This situation will worsen because of the perfect oxidized LDL also stimulates the muscle cells lining blood vessels in the deeper (the media) to enter the intima layer and then broke away, making the total even more.

Layer of fat deposits in blood vessels (cholesterol plaques) to make the blood vessels become narrower so less blood flows smoothly.

Cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels are fragile and easily broken, leaving a "wound" on the walls of blood vessels that can enable the formation of blood clots.

Because blood vessels are narrowed and hardened by cholesterol plaque, then the blood clot was easily clog the blood vessels in total. This condition is called atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis can occur in arteries in the brain, heart, kidneys, other vital organs and arms and legs.

If occurs in atherosclerotic arteries leading to the brain (carotid artery), there can be a stroke. If it occurs in the arteries leading to the heart (coronary arteries), heart attack can occur.

4. Cholesterol Levels
It is important to know whether your blood cholesterol level is normal or not. Could there be symptoms that could be a sign that we have high cholesterol?

Blood vessels are disrupted the most frequent cause of heart disease and stroke. But, not only the second such deadly diseases, it also affected the blood vessels can cause impotence.

Cholesterol in the blood can be detected by blood tests in the laboratory of health. The results will be compared with the classification table so that cholesterol can be determined faction.



5. Control of Cholesterol
In arranging meals, avoid foods that contain cholesterol are animal oils and fats, such as beef / lamb / pork, chicken skin, jerohan, brain, liver, chicken, squid, shrimp, oysters, crab, egg yolk. Different cholesterol Triglyceride (TGA). Source TGA include fried foods, coconut oil, trans fatty acids, margarine, butter.
To determine whether the cholesterol we need to be controlled cholesterol checks periodically. Cholesterol can only be accurately known through the examination of blood cholesterol. You can come directly to the nearest medical laboratory that has a complete package of cholesterol checks. And better results can be consulted with medical experts.

However, if you did not get to the lab, you can use cholesterol-meter instrument that can directly check cholesterol levels in the blood. Form and function were similar to the glucose-meters at diabetisi. It's just that these meters measure the cholesterol-cholesterol in the blood rather than glucose.

6. Cholesterol Treatment
Intelligent way of addressing the cholesterol is to change the pattern hidup.Lakukan fresh and healthy lifestyle that consists of eating healthy, think healthy, healthy activity and healthy rest.

Eating healthy can be interpreted by avoiding foods high in fat and cholesterol sources, avoid alcohol and excessive sugar consumption. Eat foods high in fiber, use mufa oil (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) and PUFA (poly-unsaturated fatty acids), fish oil supplementation, vitamins, antioxidants and maintain ideal weight.

Vegetable oils or fats (fats that come from plants) can still be your home consumption is not excessive, since fats contain no cholesterol and little saturated fat content (saturated fat).

Fatty compounds found in many vegetable fats are unsaturated fats (unsaturated fat), which does not raise blood cholesterol levels, even according to some research reports can lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Eat good fats like omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-9. Omega-3 fatty acids found in deep-sea fish such as salmon, tuna fish, omega-6 fatty acids found in corn oil and soybean oils, while omega-9 fatty acids found in avocados, olive oil and canola oil.
But it was not for the frying oil. Many people made the mistake of frying. In fact, if fried would be the ugly fat. Should be taken at or as a salad dressing.

Factors that play a role helping the occurrence of atherosclerosis is a free radical. But do not worry, free radicals can ditangkal with a lot of antioxidants contained in fruits such as oranges, strawberries and grapes, as well as vegetables, especially the red as tomatoes and carrots.

In thinking healthy, with good stress management is needed. If you live and work in big cities, can be very difficult to ensure stress-free. However, you can manage your stress well, so it can stimulate your creativity and passion. Finally, increasing the degree of life and your health.

Regular exercise has also proved able to reduce total cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol levels. Exercise helps burn cholesterol / fat in the body into energy.

7. Treatment of hypercholesterolemia

In dealing with hypercholesterolemia, first make arrangements to eat (diet) and exercise. New drugs for hypercholesterolemia after 1-2 months is required when eating and exercise regulate not improved.

Hypercholesterolemia drugs circulating in Indonesia is divided into five, among other Fibrat Acids, Resins, HMGCoa reductase inhibitors, nicotinic acid and Ezetimibe.

Drugs that belong to this class fibrat acid is gemfibrozil, fenofibrate and Ciprofibrate. Gemfibrozil is effective in lowering plasma triglycerides. Gemfibrozil increased lipoprotein lipase activity thus increased clearance of triglycerides-rich particles. HDL cholesterol levels also increased in the provision of gemfibrozil.

Fibrate decreases the production of LDL and increase HDL levels. LDL stacked in the arteries thereby increasing the risk of heart disease, whereas HDL was protecting arteries on the piling.

Antihiperlipidemik drugs that belong to this class of resin is Kolestiramin (Chlolestyramine). Antihiperlidemik drug works by binding bile acids in the intestine and increase the removal of LDL from the bloodstream.

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