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3 serious reasons high cholesterol can be dangerous for your health

Main to remember

  • High cholesterol can lead to potentially fatal health problems, including heart attack and cerebral vascular accidents because it causes an accumulation of obstructed and narrowed arteries over time.
  • Monitoring high cholesterol, especially if you fall into a high -risk category, is vital because there is generally no symptoms associated with the condition.
  • The best way to prevent high cholesterol is to carry out a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise, and obtain adequate treatment if the levels are increased.

Cholesterol is an important substance that the body uses to produce cells, hormones and vitamins. However, too much cholesterol can cause changes in your blood vessels and your blood flow, which can put you at risk of potentially fatal diseases.

1. reduces blood circulation

Bad cholesterol can result in an accumulation of plaque in the arteries. Over time, this accumulation of plaque can cause hardening and narrowing of the arteries. When this happens, blood and oxygen flow towards the heart and other organs are reduced, which can cause thoracic pain and shortness of breath. When the body does not receive adequate blood and oxygen, organ damage can occur. In some cases, this may cause organ failure, cerebral vascular accidents, vascular diseases and heart attacks.

2. Increases the risk of blood clots

When blood circulation is limited due to the narrowing of the arteries, it is called atherosclerosis. The fatty plates that develop can then break or break in the arteries, which leads to a wound healing response by the body which leads to the formation of clots to repair the area and prevent bleeding. Blood clots can be dangerous because they can block the transport of blood and oxygen in the body, which completely reduces supply.

3. Increases the risk of heart disease

High cholesterol which is not treated correctly can increase the risk of developing chronic disease, especially heart disease. Heart disease is a grouping of conditions which affect blood vessels, arteries or hearts, and can go from more moderate to serious. In terms of high cholesterol, heart disease can lead to angina, which is less serious, but can become serious if it completely blocks the arteries, leading to a heart attack.

What causes high cholesterol?

There are two types of cholesterol: bad cholesterol or LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL or HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein). Bad cholesterol can increase the risk of adverse health effects, while good cholesterol helps prevent chronic diseases and diseases, including heart disease.

While an unhealthy lifestyle explains most cases of high LDL, other medical and genetic conditions also play a role:

  • Eat foods rich in saturated fats
  • Having high levels of stress hormones that cause cholesterol production, such as cortisol and corticosteroids
  • Have bad sleep habits
  • Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption
  • Do not exercise

Prevention and treatment for high cholesterol

To avoid high cholesterol, it is essential to understand your risk factors and have you tested regularly to check the increases. Eating a healthy diet, managing your weight and exercising regularly is also good ways to avoid high cholesterol. If your figures are high, adequate treatment is essential to control them and often includes lifestyle changes and medicines to reduce cholesterol levels.

Very well health uses only high -quality sources, including studies evaluated by peers, to support the facts of our articles. Read our editorial process to find out more about how we check the facts and keep our content precise, reliable and trustworthy.
  1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. High cholesterol: prevention, treatment and research.

  2. Cameron SJ, Mix DS, Ture SK, Schmidt Ra, Mohan A, Parris D, Stoner Mc, Shah P, Chen L, Zhang H, Field DJ, Modjeski KL, Toth S, Morrell CN. Hypoxia and ischemia promote an unsuitable platelet phenotype. Arterioscler Thromb Vascin Biol. 2018 Jul; 38 (7): 1594-1606. DOI: 10.1161 / ATVBAHA.118.311186

  3. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Thrombosis.

  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On cholesterol.

  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. LDL and HLD cholesterol and triglycerides.

  6. National Institute of the Heart, Lungs and Blood. Blood cholesterol: causes and risk factors.


By Angelicica Bottaro

Bottaro has a baccalaureate in psychology and an advanced diploma in journalism. It is based in Canada.

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