High cholesterol
High cholesterol
Overview
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that’s produced in the liver. It’s also in some foods that we eat. The body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to function normally.
Cholesterol combines with proteins to be carried around the blood. This combination is known as lipoproteins.
There are 2 main types of lipoprotein.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver to be removed. For this reason, HDL is referred to as ‘good cholesterol’ and higher levels of this type are better.
Non-HDL lipoproteins are known as ‘bad cholesterol’. This is because it can build up in blood vessel walls if there’s too much.
Effects of high cholesterol
Non-HDL lipoproteins can build up in blood vessel walls and cause atherosclerosis. This is a gradual build up of fatty substances that causes a narrowing of the arteries. This affects blood flow and can lead to:
- heart disease
- strokes
- peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high blood pressure.
What are healthy cholesterol levels?
This information is just a guide to healthy cholesterol levels. What matters is your overall risk of cardiovascular disease. This is assessed by considering your cholesterol levels alongside other things like:
- your age
- whether you smoke
- whether you have high blood pressure
- if you have a family history of cardiovascular disease
Blood cholesterol is measured in units called millimoles per litre of blood. This is often shortened to mmol/L.
A healthy level of:
- total cholesterol – is below 5mmol/L
- HDL (good cholesterol) – is above 1.0mmol/L for men or above 1.2mmol/L for women
- non-HDL (bad cholesterol) – is below 4mmol/L
Speak to your healthcare professional if you’re worried about your cholesterol level.
সাধারণ উপসর্গ
Symptom information is not available for this condition yet.
⚠️ এই উপসর্গের তালিকা শিক্ষামূলক উদ্দেশ্যে। এই উপসর্গগুলি থাকার অর্থ এই নয় যে আপনার এই অবস্থা রয়েছে। সঠিক নির্ণয়ের জন্য একজন ডাক্তারের পরামর্শ নিন।
সাধারণত ব্যবহৃত ওষুধ
⚠️ এই ওষুধগুলি সাধারণত এই অবস্থার নিশ্চিত নির্ণয়ের জন্য ব্যবহৃত হয়। এটি একটি সুপারিশ বা প্রেসক্রিপশন নয়। চিকিৎসা অবশ্যই আপনার ডাক্তার দ্বারা নির্ধারিত হতে হবে।
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
Causes
What causes high cholesterol?
There are many things that can influence your chance of developing high cholesterol. Some of these you have control over and some of these you don’t.
For example, the chance of developing high cholesterol is increased by certain lifestyle factors. These are sometimes called controllable risk factors. This includes your diet, level of physical activity and smoking habits.
Things that influence high cholesterol that you can’t change include:
- age
- being male
- ethnicity
There’s also an inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). An inherited condition means that it can be passed through families by faulty genes. This can cause high cholesterol even in people who follow a healthy lifestyle.
Diagnosis
উচ্চ কোলেস্টেরল সাধারণত নিজে থেকে কোনো লক্ষণ প্রকাশ করে না, তাই আপনার কোলেস্টেরলের মাত্রা জানার একমাত্র উপায় হলো পরীক্ষা করানো।
আপনার চিকিৎসক যদি মনে করেন যে আপনার হৃদরোগ বা রক্তনালির রোগের ঝুঁকি আছে, তাহলে তিনি কোলেস্টেরল পরীক্ষা করানোর পরামর্শ দিতে পারেন।
পরীক্ষার ফলাফলে যদি কোলেস্টেরল বেশি ধরা পড়ে, তাহলে আপনার চিকিৎসক তা কমানোর উপায়গুলো আপনাকে বুঝিয়ে বলবেন। এর মধ্যে থাকতে পারে খাদ্যাভ্যাসে পরিবর্তন, অথবা কোলেস্টেরল নিয়ন্ত্রণে রাখার জন্য ওষুধ।
Treatment
Lifestyle changes can help bring your cholesterol level down. These include:
- eating a healthy, balanced diet
- exercising regularly
- stopping smoking
- drinking less alcohol
If lifestyle changes alone aren't enough, medication may help. Statins are the medicines most commonly used for high cholesterol, though a few other types are also available. Your healthcare professional will let you know if you need one of these and which would suit you best.
For more practical tips on lowering your cholesterol, you can also check the British Heart Foundation's guidance.
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