The Characteristics of High Cholesterol

HEALTHY HAPPY JOY - High cholesterol can cause heart attacks, strokes, gallstones and other health conditions. Therefore, it is important to know the signs of high cholesterol to prevent health problems.

There are two types of cholesterol in the body, namely good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol or High-density lipoprotein (HDL) serves to return bad cholesterol or Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to the liver for elimination.

If the bad cholesterol level is too high or the good cholesterol level is too low, fat deposits build up in the blood vessels. These deposits will make it difficult for enough blood to flow through the arteries causing problems throughout the body, especially in the heart and brain which can be fatal.

High cholesterol usually occurs due to an unhealthy diet or eating too many fatty foods.

What are the characteristics of high cholesterol?

High cholesterol usually does not cause any special features. The only way to be sure is to have regular blood tests to the doctor every 4 to 6 years after turning 20, especially if you have a family history of high cholesterol.

If a blood test shows blood cholesterol levels are above 240 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), then high cholesterol.

Even so, there are signs of high cholesterol to watch out for. Quoted from various sources, here are 6 signs of high cholesterol:

1. Obesity and diabetes

People who are obese or have diabetes are at risk of having high cholesterol levels.

2. Impotence

Impotence in men can be a sign of high cholesterol due to the buildup of bad cholesterol in the arteries.

3. High blood pressure

High cholesterol can cause hypertension or high blood pressure. High blood pressure is characterized by symptoms of fatigue, difficulty breathing, headaches, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, and chest pain.

4. Shortness of breath and chest pain

Signs of high cholesterol to watch out for include shortness of breath and chest pain, especially if you have a history of heart disease. High cholesterol can cause shortness of breath and chest pain.

5. Easily tired and sleepy

A person with high cholesterol levels tends to be easily tired and sleepy due to the occurrence of plaque in the blood vessels. The plaque causes obstruction of blood flow to body tissues so that the body does not get enough blood flow.

6. Pain in some parts of the body

High cholesterol levels cause pain in several parts of the body due to blockages in the arteries that connect to other parts of the body. For example, if there is a blockage in the arteries of the legs, then the legs will feel pain.

Most of the signs of high cholesterol are caused by a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The buildup of cholesterol in the arteries or commonly called plaque, will become hard over time and make the arteries narrow so that they cannot send blood flow throughout the body. This is what then causes the symptoms above. [*]