Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s normal to have cholesterol. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, and serves other needed bodily functions. But too much cholesterol in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack. It’s also a risk factor for stroke. Hypercholesterolemia is the term for high levels of blood cholesterol.
You get cholesterol in two ways. Your body makes some of it, and the rest comes from cholesterol in animal products that you eat, such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, butter, cheese and whole milk. Food from plants — like fruits, vegetables and cereals — doesn’t have cholesterol. Some foods that don’t contain animal products may contain trans fats, which cause your body to make more cholesterol. Foods with saturated fats also cause the body to make more cholesterol.
Cholesterol and other fats can’t dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are two kinds that you need to know about. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as the “bad” cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can clog your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as the “good” cholesterol. Your body makes HDL cholesterol for your protection. It carries cholesterol away from your arteries. Studies suggest that high levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart attack.
High cholestrol can cause Heart Disease.
Too much cholesterol in the blood, or high blood cholesterol, can be serious. People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol on its own does not cause symptoms, so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high.
Cholesterol can build up on the walls of your arteries (blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body). This buildup of cholesterol is called plaque (plak). Over time, plaque can cause narrowing of the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis (ath-er-o-skler-O-sis), or hardening of the arteries.
Special arteries, called coronary arteries, bring blood to the heart. Narrowing of your coronary arteries due to plaque can stop or slow down the flow of blood to your heart. When the arteries narrow, the amount of oxygen-rich blood is decreased. This is called coronary artery disease (CAD). Large plaque areas can lead to chest pain called angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh). Angina happens when the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. Angina is a common symptom of CAD.
Some plaques have a thin covering and burst (rupture), releasing fat and cholesterol into the bloodstream. The release of fat and cholesterol may cause your blood to clot. A clot can block the flow of blood. This blockage can cause angina or a heart attack.
Lowering your cholesterol level decreases your chance for having a plaque burst and cause a heart attack. Lowering cholesterol may also slow down, reduce, or even stop plaque from building up. Plaque and resulting health problems can also occur in arteries elsewhere in the body.
Healthy Cholestrol levels
What cholesterol levels are healthy varies from persong to person. If you have several risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, smoking, or high blood pressure, you should find out from your doctor what your own target levels should be. If you have one or no such risk factors, a total cholesterol level below 200 is usually desirable, while a HDL level greater than 35 is also good. Most important, your LDL level should be less than 130. However, since no one’s numbers ever match up exactly with the textbook figures, it’s good to have your doc help you with the figuring and interpreting of your lab values.
What causes high LDL Cholestrol levels
Some of the factors that can lead to high cholesterol are:
Overweight - Excess weight has been linked with high cholesterol levels.
Heredity - If cholesterol problems or heart disease run in your family, you are at a higher risk for having problems.
Diet - Remember the saying “you are what you eat”? Avoid foods that are high in cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fat, all of which increase cholesterol levels and your risk of developing heart disease.
Physical activity - Exercise tends to increase HDL levels, which lowers your chance of developing heart disease.
Age - The risk of high cholesterol increases as you get older.
Tips to lower the cholestrol levels
The only way to check your cholesterol is to visit your doctor and have a blood cholesterol test. This is a simple, painless procedure. If you are over 40, you should have your cholesterol level checked each year. High cholesterol levels are the result of three main factors. (a) Our genes. (b) Our diet. (c) Our lifestyle.
We can’t change our genes, but we can change our diet and lifestyle. To lower your cholesterol level, here are five simple tips:
1. Reduce your total fat-intake.
2. Eliminate your consumption of saturated fat.
3. Increase your consumption of soluble fiber. Unprocessed plant foods, like vegetables, dried beans, lentils, fruit (esp. berries, bananas, apples and citrus fruits) and oats or oat-bran are good sources of soluble fiber.
4. Stop smoking.
5. Take regular exercise.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
What happens during an episode of asthma
Asthma occurs when the airflow moving in and out of the lungs are blocked by muscle squeezing, swelling, and excess mucus. In response to a trigger, an asthmatic’s airways become narrowed and inflamed, causing blocking of the airways that result in wheezing and/or coughing symptoms. Air becomes trapped in the air sacs, not allowing for the proper exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This trapped air leads to a low oxygen level in the body, thus, triggering an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, the mucus-producing cells within the airway increase their output, causing excess mucus that blocks the airway. Parts of the airway become entirely blocked with the combination of airway narrowing, mucus plugging, and airway inflammation. These attacks vary in length. A single episode can be over in minutes, or continue for hours or even days. In between asthma episodes the patient may be totally symptom free. Other patients may have slight symptoms such as chest tightness or a hacking cough.
Should people with Asthma Exercise?
Answer to this question is positive only if they are feeling well exercising. Everyone who is physically able to do so can benefit from exercise. It is generally advisable to consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. Persons with asthma may need to take special precautions in cold weather or during seasons when pollen is in the air. They may be able to prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms by using an inhaled bronchodilator before exercise.
Asthma itself can cause side effects?
Lot of people focus on the side effects of treatment of asthma, so much that they forget that asthma if not treated properly can also cause side effects. Apart from the risk of dying from asthma, there is also a risk that lung function will deteriorate over the years and that you will become disabled by chronic asthma as you age. Children with poorly treated asthma do not grow properly and pregnant women with poorly controlled asthma have a higher risk of complications.
Treatment for Asthma.
Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled with proper asthma management.
The first step in asthma management is environmental control. Asthmatics cannot escape the environment, but through some changes, they can control its impact on their health.
Listed below are some ways to change the environment in order to lessen the chance of an asthma attack:
* Clean the house at least once a week and wear a mask while doing it
* Avoid pets with fur or feathers
* Wash the bedding (sheets, pillow cases, mattress pads) weekly in hot water
* Encase the mattress, pillows and box springs in dust-proof covers
* Replace bedding made of down, kapok or foam rubber with synthetic materials
* Consider replacing upholstered furniture with leather or vinyl
* Consider replacing carpeting with hardwood floors or tile
* Use the air conditioner
* Keep the humidity in the house low
The second step is to monitor lung function. Asthmatics use a peak flow meter to gauge their lung function. Lung function decreases before symptoms of an asthma attack - usually about two to three days prior. If the meter indicates the peak flow is down by 20 percent or more from your usual best effort, an asthma attack is on its way.
The third step in managing asthma involves the use of medications. There are two major groups of medications used in controlling asthma - anti-inflammatories (corticosteroids) and bronchodilators.
Should people with Asthma Exercise?
Answer to this question is positive only if they are feeling well exercising. Everyone who is physically able to do so can benefit from exercise. It is generally advisable to consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. Persons with asthma may need to take special precautions in cold weather or during seasons when pollen is in the air. They may be able to prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms by using an inhaled bronchodilator before exercise.
Asthma itself can cause side effects?
Lot of people focus on the side effects of treatment of asthma, so much that they forget that asthma if not treated properly can also cause side effects. Apart from the risk of dying from asthma, there is also a risk that lung function will deteriorate over the years and that you will become disabled by chronic asthma as you age. Children with poorly treated asthma do not grow properly and pregnant women with poorly controlled asthma have a higher risk of complications.
Treatment for Asthma.
Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled with proper asthma management.
The first step in asthma management is environmental control. Asthmatics cannot escape the environment, but through some changes, they can control its impact on their health.
Listed below are some ways to change the environment in order to lessen the chance of an asthma attack:
* Clean the house at least once a week and wear a mask while doing it
* Avoid pets with fur or feathers
* Wash the bedding (sheets, pillow cases, mattress pads) weekly in hot water
* Encase the mattress, pillows and box springs in dust-proof covers
* Replace bedding made of down, kapok or foam rubber with synthetic materials
* Consider replacing upholstered furniture with leather or vinyl
* Consider replacing carpeting with hardwood floors or tile
* Use the air conditioner
* Keep the humidity in the house low
The second step is to monitor lung function. Asthmatics use a peak flow meter to gauge their lung function. Lung function decreases before symptoms of an asthma attack - usually about two to three days prior. If the meter indicates the peak flow is down by 20 percent or more from your usual best effort, an asthma attack is on its way.
The third step in managing asthma involves the use of medications. There are two major groups of medications used in controlling asthma - anti-inflammatories (corticosteroids) and bronchodilators.
What is Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of the blood against the artery walls. High blood pressure (hypertension) and low blood pressure (hypotension) can both cause cardiovascular problems.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or tilt table tests may be used to diagnose these conditions. There are many types of high blood pressure, which may be treated with antihypertensive medications, such as diuretics, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors.
How Blood Pressure is measured?
Hypertension can be mild, moderate or severe. Your blood pressure is naturally higher when you are exerting yourself, such as during physical exercise. It is only a concern if your blood pressure is high when you are at rest, because this means your heart is overworked and your arteries have extra stress in their walls.
Blood pressure is measured in two ways:
Systolic - the highest pressure against the arteries as the heart pumps. The normal systolic pressure is usually between 110 and 130 mm Hg.
Diastolic - the pressure against the arteries as the heart relaxes and fills with blood. The normal diastolic pressure is usually between 70 and 80 mm Hg.
Normal Blood Pressure
Levels around 130/80 and below are absolutely fine. Doctors are generally concerned when levels are consistently greater than 140/90, as this is the level above which blood pressure starts significantly contributing to the long term risk of increased cardiovascular problems (strokes and heart attacks).
Depending on the exact classification used, pressures around 140-150/90-100 would be called mild hypertension. Pressures around 150-170/100-110 would be called moderate, and pressures higher, e.g. 200/120 would be considered fairly severe.
In reality blood pressure is a continuum, and it is sometimes difficult to be categoric about exactly what category a person is in. The higher the pressure is, the greater the risk that it will lead to further problems.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
The causes of high blood pressure vary. Causes may include narrowing of the arteries, a greater than normal volume of blood, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should. Any of these conditions will cause increased pressure against the artery walls. High blood pressure might also be caused by another medical problem. Most of the time, the cause is not known. Although high blood pressure usually cannot be cured, in most cases it can be prevented and controlled.
Keep High Blood pressure under control
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, it’s extremely important that you follow your doctor’s treatment guidelines to the letter. These guidelines include keeping your diet low in fat, reducing your salt intake, quitting smoking, and limiting your alcohol consumption.
In addition, you should exercise regularly, keep your weight within normal bounds, and learn to manage stress (instead of letting it manage you). Some recent research suggests that constant stress and pressure may predispose some men to continually elevated blood pressure later in life.
Treatment of High Blood Pressure
Treatment of high blood pressure is depended on how high it is and on what other ‘risk factors’ one have for heart disease and stroke.
Blood Pressure between 140/90-160/100mmHg will simply require some changes in lifestyle. You will probably not need to take tablets providing that the changes you make work. However, some people with a blood pressure in this range may be asked to take tablets if they are older or have other risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high cholesterol, smoking or already have complications such as a previous stroke or heart attack.
So, if you have a blood pressure reading in this range you may need to make the following changes to your lifestyle:
* Cut down the amount of salt you are eating to 6 grams each day or less
* Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, preferably more
* Be physically active at least five times a weeks for at least 30 minutes
* Lose weight if you are overweight
* Cut down on the amount of alcohol you are drinking if it is excessive, ie, men should drink no more than three or four units a day, women no more than two or three units each day
If your blood pressure is consistently over 160/100mmHg then you will probably be given tablets to take as well as being asked to make changes to your lifestyle. The aim of this treatment is to lower your blood pressure down to below 140/85mmHg whilst making sure that you feel fit and well. If you have diabetes or have had a previous stroke or heart attack you may be asked to lower your blood pressure further, to 130/80mmHg. A small number of people may find their blood pressure very difficult to control even with medication.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or tilt table tests may be used to diagnose these conditions. There are many types of high blood pressure, which may be treated with antihypertensive medications, such as diuretics, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors.
How Blood Pressure is measured?
Hypertension can be mild, moderate or severe. Your blood pressure is naturally higher when you are exerting yourself, such as during physical exercise. It is only a concern if your blood pressure is high when you are at rest, because this means your heart is overworked and your arteries have extra stress in their walls.
Blood pressure is measured in two ways:
Systolic - the highest pressure against the arteries as the heart pumps. The normal systolic pressure is usually between 110 and 130 mm Hg.
Diastolic - the pressure against the arteries as the heart relaxes and fills with blood. The normal diastolic pressure is usually between 70 and 80 mm Hg.
Normal Blood Pressure
Levels around 130/80 and below are absolutely fine. Doctors are generally concerned when levels are consistently greater than 140/90, as this is the level above which blood pressure starts significantly contributing to the long term risk of increased cardiovascular problems (strokes and heart attacks).
Depending on the exact classification used, pressures around 140-150/90-100 would be called mild hypertension. Pressures around 150-170/100-110 would be called moderate, and pressures higher, e.g. 200/120 would be considered fairly severe.
In reality blood pressure is a continuum, and it is sometimes difficult to be categoric about exactly what category a person is in. The higher the pressure is, the greater the risk that it will lead to further problems.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
The causes of high blood pressure vary. Causes may include narrowing of the arteries, a greater than normal volume of blood, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should. Any of these conditions will cause increased pressure against the artery walls. High blood pressure might also be caused by another medical problem. Most of the time, the cause is not known. Although high blood pressure usually cannot be cured, in most cases it can be prevented and controlled.
Keep High Blood pressure under control
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, it’s extremely important that you follow your doctor’s treatment guidelines to the letter. These guidelines include keeping your diet low in fat, reducing your salt intake, quitting smoking, and limiting your alcohol consumption.
In addition, you should exercise regularly, keep your weight within normal bounds, and learn to manage stress (instead of letting it manage you). Some recent research suggests that constant stress and pressure may predispose some men to continually elevated blood pressure later in life.
Treatment of High Blood Pressure
Treatment of high blood pressure is depended on how high it is and on what other ‘risk factors’ one have for heart disease and stroke.
Blood Pressure between 140/90-160/100mmHg will simply require some changes in lifestyle. You will probably not need to take tablets providing that the changes you make work. However, some people with a blood pressure in this range may be asked to take tablets if they are older or have other risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high cholesterol, smoking or already have complications such as a previous stroke or heart attack.
So, if you have a blood pressure reading in this range you may need to make the following changes to your lifestyle:
* Cut down the amount of salt you are eating to 6 grams each day or less
* Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, preferably more
* Be physically active at least five times a weeks for at least 30 minutes
* Lose weight if you are overweight
* Cut down on the amount of alcohol you are drinking if it is excessive, ie, men should drink no more than three or four units a day, women no more than two or three units each day
If your blood pressure is consistently over 160/100mmHg then you will probably be given tablets to take as well as being asked to make changes to your lifestyle. The aim of this treatment is to lower your blood pressure down to below 140/85mmHg whilst making sure that you feel fit and well. If you have diabetes or have had a previous stroke or heart attack you may be asked to lower your blood pressure further, to 130/80mmHg. A small number of people may find their blood pressure very difficult to control even with medication.
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