subject: Cholesterol Medication [print this page] Cholesterol Medication Cholesterol Medication
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is secreted by liver in our body and it is rich in fat. Cholesterol is important in the body for the formation of cell membranes and some hormones. They quantity of cholesterol released by liver depends directly on the fat intake in your diet. If the level of cholesterol is more than the usable denomination, the excess is accumulated in arteries. If the cholesterol level gets too high it might lead to symptoms like hypertension, heart attack due to blockage in blood vessels, and stroke.
Components of Cholesterol
Cholesterols are present in our body in two forms.
1. Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL)
2. High Density Lipoproteins (HDL)
As the name suggests, lipoproteins are a combination of proteins and fats and are produced in liver. They help the body to create other fat substances that may be carried un-dissolved in the blood stream and are passed over to cells in the body. Cholesterol related health problems are generally associated with LDL. It is known to combine with other substances in blood and form plaque, which forms a hard thick deposit on inner walls of the arteries and make the blood passage narrower. As the passage gets narrow, blood is pumped with more force through the arteries that consequently leads to high blood pressure and other heart related symptoms
On the contrary, HDL is the better part of cholesterol and more the HDL the better. It carries dead and waste substance from different organs in the body and even picks up LDL deposits in arteries. They travel in the blood stream and carry the waste with them, and help throwing it out of the body.
Causes and Precautions
Factors that affect Cholesterol Level in body are diet that is rich in saturated fats, overweight, lack of physical activity and uncontrollable factors like age, gender and inheritance. Saturated fats contain fatty acids that are not broken down during digestion and are absorbed in the blood as it is. Therefore it is very important to stick to diet which is low in fats that are saturated. Being overweight has always been linked with heart diseases. It also increases LDL and triglycerides levels in the body. Regular exercise for 30-40 minutes helps keep the cholesterol level in check and hence you should exercise daily. It lowers the LDL in body and also helps keep a healthy body weight. A history of high cholesterol in the family or heart ailment could also be inherited by the children. Men above 45 years of age and women above 55 are more likely to catch the cholesterol related diseases.
Treatment
The best way to treat the cholesterol related disorders is physical activity. However taking medication does help but it is always the most effective when you also include physically exercises along with the medicines in the treatment. Various drugs that are available for the treatment are statins, bile acid sequestrants, nicotinic acid, fibric acids, and cholesterol absorption inhibitors.
