High Cholesterol Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
High cholesterol or dyslipidemia is an imbalance of cholesterol due to high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a compound found in fats/lipids in your blood.
Basically, the body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells. However, high cholesterol levels can cause fat deposits in the blood vessels. Furthermore, these fatty deposits will cause difficulty in blood flow in the arteries.
As a result of the obstruction of blood flow, the heart does not get oxygen-rich blood. This is what ultimately increases the risk of a heart attack. In addition, decreased blood flow in the brain can also cause a stroke.
Complications that can occur in people with high cholesterol or dyslipidemia are atherosclerosis. This is an accumulation of cholesterol and other deposits on the walls of blood vessels that are harmful.
These deposits (plaques) can reduce blood flow in the arteries, causing complications such as:
- Chest pain. If the arteries that supply the heart with blood (coronary arteries) are affected, you can experience chest pain (angina) and other symptoms of coronary artery disease.
- Heart attack. If the plaque in the coronary artery is torn, a blood clot/clot can form in the torn plaque area. This can then block blood flow or obstruct arterial flow elsewhere. If blood flow to a part of the heart stops, you are at risk of having a heart attack.
- Strokes. Similar to a heart attack, if the blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked by a clot/blood clot, a stroke occurs.
Symptom
There are no very typical symptoms of high cholesterol or dyslipidemia. In fact, in general, dyslipidemia is asymptomatic and is usually only discovered when you do a routine health check-up (medical check-up).
Reason
The cause of high cholesterol or dyslipidemia is an imbalance in the proportion of fat in the blood. There are various types of fats/lipids that can be measured in the blood, namely:
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is also known as good cholesterol. High HDL levels can help reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad cholesterol. This type of cholesterol is often associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
- High triglycerides are also a risk factor for heart and blood vessel disease.
Factors that can increase the risk of high cholesterol or dyslipidemia are:
- Bad diet. Consumption of saturated fats such as those found in animal products, as well as trans fats which are found in some foods sold in the market, can increase cholesterol levels. Foods high in cholesterol include red meat and high-fat dairy products.
- Obesity Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30 can increase the risk of developing dyslipidemia (high cholesterol).
- Big waist circle. Your risk increases if you are a man with a waist circumference ≥ 102 cm or a woman with a waist circumference ≥ 89 cm.
- Lack of physical activity. Exercise can increase HDL or good cholesterol.
- Smoke. This one habit can damage the walls of blood vessels, thus facilitating the accumulation of fatty deposits. Smoking can also lower HDL or good cholesterol levels.
- Diabetes. High blood glucose plays a role in increasing LDL cholesterol and decreasing HDL cholesterol. High blood glucose also damages the lining of the arteries.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of high cholesterol or dyslipidemia can be made through medical interviews and physical examinations. Physical examinations that can be done are:
- Examination of vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and body temperature)
- Anthropometric examination (abdominal circumference and BMI/Body Mass Index)
In addition, supporting examinations can also be carried out in the form of laboratory tests. This examination plays an important role in determining the diagnosis. To get an accurate result, you will be asked not to eat or drink anything (other than water) for 9-12 hours before the blood collection process.
In this laboratory examination, the doctor will check:
- Total cholesterol levels
- Cholesterol-LDL
- HDL-cholesterol
- Plasma triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood)
Treatment
Treatment for high cholesterol or dyslipidemia depends on your age, symptoms, and overall health. However, in general, the treatment that can be done includes drug and non-drug therapy.
- Non-drug therapy. This therapy covers the problem of fulfilling your nutrition. For that you will be advised to reduce your intake of total fat and saturated fat, and increase your intake of mono and double-chain unsaturated fats. In addition, you are also advised to increase physical activity according to your condition and ability.
- Drug therapy. Usually, this therapy is carried out after 6 weeks of non-drug therapy. The recommended types of dyslipidemia drugs are:
- Statin group: atorvastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin
- Resins: cholestyramine, colesevelam, colestipol
- Fibric acid group: fenofibrate, gemfibrozil
- Cholesterol absorption inhibitors: ezetimibe
But keep in mind, you should consult with your doctor first to get the right treatment.