What are the harms of high cholesterol to the body?
Cholesterol, which is found in excess in the blood, accumulates in the vessel wall over the years. As a result of this accumulation, narrowing and blockage occur in that vessel. In which vein cholesterol accumulates, problems and diseases related to that vein occur. Signs and symptoms of high cholesterol are often not due to sudden cholesterol elevations, but are the result of long-term high cholesterol accumulation in the vessel wall. Cholesterol accumulation in the vessels feeding the heart (coronary artery) causes problems such as chest pain, heart attack and heart failure as a result of clogging and narrowing of these vessels. As a result, the patient may need coronary by-pass surgery (surgical removal of the stenosis) or angioplasty (expansion of the narrowed coronary artery with a balloon). Cholesterol accumulation in the neck vessels that feed the brain causes paralysis, speech disorders, unbalanced walking and loss of consciousness. Cholesterol accumulation in the kidney vessels can lead to high blood pressure and kidney failure.
What if there is cholesterol accumulation in the main artery?
Cholesterol accumulation in the main artery is also dangerous. Cholesterol deposits that break off from here can cause many different problems by clogging smaller vessels. They can cause intestinal death by blocking the vessels feeding the intestine, blindness by blocking the eye vessels, and gangrene by blocking the leg vessels. When problems related to high cholesterol occur, the patient may be late; Therefore, it is very important to prevent high cholesterol and to lower it if it is high.
Can the rise of bad cholesterol be prevented?
Yes, the rise of bad cholesterol can be prevented with lifestyle changes and medication.
What should be done when talking about lifestyle changes?
Exercise and proper diet are necessary. In particular, triglycerides can be greatly reduced by exercise and diet. However, we can reduce bad cholesterol or total cholesterol by 10-15 percent with diet and sports.
What is the effect of high cholesterol on cardiovascular diseases?
In patients with high cholesterol, evaluation and, if possible, modification of cardiovascular risk factors is one of the main points of treatment. Cardiovascular risk factors other than high cholesterol are also common in patients with high cholesterol. With the correction of these cardiovascular risk factors, the risk of permanent cardiovascular damage and death is definitely reduced.
Is there a relationship between smoking and cholesterol?
Yes, especially good cholesterol decreases and bad cholesterol starts to rise in smokers. But there is no direct link between smoking and cholesterol. Smoking itself is a risk factor for vascular diseases. Considering that cholesterol is also a risk factor for atherosclerosis, the risk becomes much higher when the two risk factors come together.
Does a sedentary lifestyle affect cholesterol?
Yes it does.
Is it necessary to do sports to lower cholesterol?
We can say that it is a condition. It should not be forgotten that sports are not only effective for lowering cholesterol, but also important for the whole body to be vigorous.
Which sports should be done?
In addition to walking for 30-45 minutes daily, all kinds of sports can be done, from aerobic exercises.
Does obesity affect cholesterol?
Yes, obesity is effective in raising cholesterol and triglycerides.
Is there a link between stress and cholesterol?
Of course, there is a link between stress and cholesterol. Stress hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline increase during stress. The rise of these substances in the blood causes an increase in cholesterol, as well as an increase in blood sugar in people who are obese or have diabetes. Therefore, stress can indirectly cause arteriosclerosis and increase in cholesterol. But “I experienced great sadness, my cholesterol increased” is not a correct sentence.
