The Dangers of High Cholesterol: Understanding Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention

by time news

2023-08-17 02:00:00
High Cholesterol Levels Can Lead to Cardiovascular Diseases and Should Be Monitored

Unlike many other diseases, there are always warning signals with a stroke that you have to interpret correctly. Even with an overdose of vitamin D, the body sends clear signals. High cholesterol levels are not good for your health, in fact they can lead to cardiovascular diseases.

However, they are often only detected by medical specialists after the first symptoms have already appeared. To some symptoms and signs, but you can take care of it beforehand.

It is well known that high cholesterol levels can have a negative impact on health. Among other things, they can promote cardiovascular diseases. According to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, these in turn are responsible for over a third of all deaths in Germany. The Federal Statistical Office counts five heart diseases among the ten most common causes of death in Germany alone.

Some diseases are closely linked to risk factors such as obesity and only develop over the years, often as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle. That’s why prevention is very important. But why is high cholesterol a risk factor?

What is cholesterol actually?

It is important to know what cholesterol actually is. Basically, it is a raw material necessary for the human body. Cholesterol is an important component of the cell membrane, i.e. the outer covering of our cells, and is involved in the formation of certain hormones. So every cell in the human body needs cholesterol. The demand for the raw material is mostly covered by the body itself.

The smaller part is ingested through food. Cholesterol is transported from the liver to the cells in our body via the blood. There it is further processed. However, as a fat, cholesterol is not soluble in aqueous fluids such as blood. That is why it is divided into so-called lipoproteins before it is transported. These lipoproteins are small particles made up of fat and various proteins. The cholesterol measured in the blood is differentiated between the low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL). As the name suggests, the lipoproteins are roughly classified according to their density.

If there is an excess of cholesterol, it gets back via the blood back to the liver. Too much cholesterol in the blood and in the vascular walls can lead to serious damage to health due to vascular calcification (arteriosclerosis). This in turn leads to an increased risk of circulatory disorders, heart attack, and stroke. With regard to vascular diseases, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are particularly important: in various studies, researchers have been able to link a high level of LDL cholesterol directly to the risk of heart attack and mortality from cardiovascular diseases become. The LDL is therefore also used colloquially “bad cholesterol” called.

Reasons, consequences, and symptoms of high cholesterol

If your LDL cholesterol levels are too high, more and more cholesterol will accumulate at the blood vessel junctions. The deposits have the consequence that the vessels are narrowed and could eventually close completely. In addition, through the deposits inflammatory reactions are favored, which can permanently damage the vessel walls. Our body tries to repair the injuries with blood platelets and new tissue. This in turn increases the risk of deposits tearing or becoming dangerous blood clots, i.e. thrombi, form. Thrombi are a common cause of heart attack and stroke.

According to the Health Knowledge Foundation, the cause of high cholesterol levels is usually a hereditary predisposition in connection with an unhealthy lifestyle. The latter include, for example, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, overweight or obesity. In this area, you can take the form of a healthy lifestyle, sufficient exercise, and a healthy, balanced diet to provide prevention.

In addition, as a preventive measure, the German Heart Foundation recommends drinking little alcohol, avoiding obesity, and not smoking. In some cases, liver or kidney disease, a blockage of the bile duct, or hypothyroidism can also cause increased cholesterol levels. In addition, taking certain medications and hormonal changes, for example, during menopause, can lead to high cholesterol levels.

Skin changes can occur due to increased cholesterol levels

Too high LDL cholesterol levels don’t hurt and are therefore often not noticed by those affected for a very long time. In some cases, however, skin changes turn up. It refers to yellowish, sometimes pimple-like fatty deposits on the arms and legs, the eyelids, or the buttocks.

These will too Xanthome mentioned and can be recognized as early signs. If the blood vessels are already constricted due to high cholesterol over many years, symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, blurred vision, loss of consciousness, or pain in the legs turn up. At the first symptoms or signs, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Conclusion – Skin changes can be the first sign of high cholesterol

If you have elevated cholesterol levels, this is usually the first cause no complaints. However, skin changes can be the first signs that you can sometimes see on the face. It is important to take possible signs first and these clarify medically allow.

You have the ability to control your cholesterol levels during an early detection examination to be checked. This examination is particularly useful if increased LDL cholesterol levels have already occurred in the family. In principle, everyone with statutory health insurance has from the age of 35 every three years Eligibility for screening tests to detect signs of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. During this “health check-up”, the total cholesterol value is also checked. Insured between 18 and 35 years have once claimed on this offer.

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