High cholesterol is a frightening diagnosis. It can lead to a heart attack, stroke, diabetes or all of them combined. Luckily, there are treatments including certain medications proven to lower cholesterol levels to a healthy range. But as with any treatment, high cholesterol treatment risks must be considered.
The major problem with high cholesterol is it is related to being the basis for cardiovascular dysfunction in the human body. High cholesterol is a known cause for arteries becoming clogged due to plaque buildup. The buildup of this plaque material is caused by the hardening of blood vessels, which become stuck on the walls of veins and arteries.
For patients who already have diabetes or cardiovascular disease, taking a statin regularly over the course of five years will reduce your risk of death from any cause from 9.6% to 8.5%. To achieve this reduction, 86 patients will need to be treated to prevent one death (the number needed to treat, NNT).
There are many brand names of high cholesterol medications and this can make learning about them rather complicated. The ones that are most used to reduce the amount of cholesterol that your liver produces are Lipitor, Mecavor and Pravachol but they have their own generic names as well and may also be produced and manufactured by different companies therefore having different brand names.
As we grow older, our body makeup changes and HLR blood cholesterol rise, especially with the decline of regular physical activity. The increase of heart attacks in our aging population has increased over the years and high cholesterol levels have been a major contributing factor.
HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein) is also known as good cholesterol. This type of cholesterol helps clean up you arteries and remove any build up. Opposed to LDL levels, good cholesterol levels need to be high in order to decrease the risks of heart attack and stroke.
Harmful levels of cholesterol always relate to bad diets, obesity, excessive alcohol intake, stress, age, smoking, physical lethargy and heredity. Doctors may prescribe specific diet plans and weight loss advice for patients diagnosed with high blood cholesterol levels.
High blood cholesterol level is attributed to the diet as well as sedentary lifestyle. People in developed countries have high risk for high cholesterol and its health risks because they consume food high in fat and tend to have a sedentary lifestyle. Doctors recommend changing the diet from a high-fat diet to a low-fat diet so as to meet the normal lipid levels.
The right diet not only can help you lower LDL by avoiding foods that contribute to bad cholesterol, but eating certain plant based food are known to help raise HDL, which is important. You see, when you have good levels of good cholesterol or HDL, this type actually helps the body to more effectively eliminate LDL.
Cholesterol treatment alternatives are not advertised because manufactures are not permitted to promote the health benefits that come with these alternatives. A supplement becomes a drug if it is found to prevent an illness or cure a disease. It should be noted that some of this alternatives may only deal with one factor and not others.
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