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High Cholesterol level is widely regarded to be one of the leading causes of coronary heart disease, which in turn, is the number one killer of women and men in the United States and most other developed countries. Statistics show that every year, more than a million Americans have heart attacks, and about a half million people die from heart disease. While cholesterol levels can be controlled by diet-control as well as medication, evidence exists to suggest that genetics play a major role in determining the cholesterol levels in an individual as well as his or her likelihood of having a heart attack.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that occurs naturally in the body and performs several vital functions, e.g., the formation of walls surrounding the body's cells and its conversion into certain hormones that control some body functions. Our body makes most of the cholesterol needed. It is also present in our diet, particularly animal fats. When the cholesterol level in blood is high, fatty plaques start...
This results in decreased blood-flow to the heart and thus less oxygen for the heart muscles causing pain (angina). If the blood flow to a part of the heart is cut off completely, it results in a heart attack. If blood supply to the brain is impaired in a similar manner, a stroke occurs.
There are two types of cholesterol -- the LDL cholesterol (or the "bad" cholesterol) and the HDL (or the "good" cholesterol). It is only the high levels of LDL that results in atherosclerosis, while the HDL actually protects against heart attacks and strokes by removing the LDL from the arteries.
Genetics & Cholesterol
From the time high levels of cholesterol was discovered as the reason behind one of the major causes of atherosclerosis and thus of heart-attacks, it has been recognized that some individuals are genetically resistant to atherosclerosis. The LDL level of such individuals does not rise to dangerous levels…
Bibliography
Harrison, Bill MD. (2003) "High Blood Pressure." Diseases and Conditions. Discoveryhealth.com. Retrieved on December 9, 2003 at http://health.discovery.com/diseasesandcond/encyclopedia/31.html
High Blood Cholesterol:
What You Need to Know." (2001) National Cholesterol Education Program. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved on December 9, 2003 at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/wyntk.htm#important
Why Is Genetics And Heart Disease Important?" (n.d.) Cholesterol, Genetics, And Heart Disease Institute. Retrieved on December 9, 2003 at http://www.heartdisease.org/whyimportant.html
The fourth main function of cholesterol is neurological. Cholesterol is "an important part of the myelin sheath which is a neuron consists of fat-containing cells that insulate the axon from electrical activity," (Miezam, n.d.). Fifth, cholesterol aids the body's natural immune defenses. One of the features of cholesterol is, as a waxy substance, it cannot dissolve in blood. Cholesterol moves through the bloodstream, and are carried through it by lipoproteins. When
However, bowel movements were more frequent during the high-fiber than during the control diet." (Nutrition Research Newsletter, 2002) The work of Ruixing, et al. (2007) entitled: "Comparison of Demography, Diet, Lifestyle, and Serum Lipid Levels between the Guangxi Bai Ku Yao and Han Populations" states that dyslipidemia is a condition "...in which there is an abnormal lipid or lipoprotein concentration. It is well-known that dyslipidemia is determined by genetic, demographic,
Cholesterol Decreases Mortality Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of mortality in the industrialized world. Each year, close to 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease, while 61 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. The financial costs of cardiovascular disease are high, with $351 billion spent on heart disease and stroke each year in the United States (Centers for Disease Control, Preventing Heart Disease). At the same time, high
This increases the risk of heart disease in adulthood. Those ingesting the highest added sugars had lower levels of good cholesterol and higher levels of bad cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein levels are the good cholesterol, while the low-density lipoproteins are the bad cholesterol. There was a 9% difference between those who consumed sugar at the highest levels at 54 mg/dL of HDL levels and those with the lowest levels at
The utility of these sessions can be important as it will provide a platform for interacting with the physician regarding prescribed medicines; guidance for remembering to adhere to appropriate drug regimen and suggestions for tackling difficulties related to taking medicines for instance missed dosages, side effects, and drug interactions. ("Activities for priority groups and settings," n. d.) iii) Support Programs: Religious gathering and other memberships groups are preferably located
Meat and Cholesterol Amount of Meat and Cholesterol Level Relationship between Amount of Meat eaten (Times per week) and Cholesterol Number Psychology Human heart is directly affected by the consumption of unhealthy diet. The major problem suffered by all heart patients is the cholesterol number. Intake of meat really matters when it comes to high cholesterol. Heart problems and cholesterol number vary with age; however gender does not make any difference. This study