Although it is recognized as something bad, the cholesterol performs important functions in the human body. It is part of the structure of the body’s cells and is essential for the production of some hormones and vitamins. Cholesterol also forms bile acids, which are substances that act in digestion.
Cholesterol becomes a problem when there is an excess of LDL-cholesterol particle, popularly known as bad cholesterol, in the body and the type of fat ingested.
The cholesterol index can be linked to lifestyle, such as poor diet, smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity. But it can also be associated with genetic issues, which is called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).
Control is possible from healthy eating habits and physical activity. The subject was widely discussed by specialists from different areas in the CNN Vital Signs (watch the entirety above ).
According to the Ministry of Health, 4 out of 10 Brazilians have high cholesterol. “Bad cholesterol is one that is associated with an increased risk of heart problems in heart attacks and strokes. Good cholesterol is the one that theoretically protects our body against it”, explains Raul Dias dos Santos Filho, director of Incor’s Lipid Clinical Unit.
According to the Brazilian Society of Cardiology, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) affects 10 million people worldwide and 300,000 in Brazil.
“A food habit with high consumption of red meats, saturated fats and ultra-processed foods, combined with low consumption of fruits and vegetables, favors hypercholesterolemia and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases”, explains researcher Ana Luisa Souza de Paiva Moura, from general coordination of Food and Nutrition of the Ministry of Health.
“If the dietary pattern is balanced, the person can have a healthy life and maintain cholesterol in adequate concentrations”, he adds.
The expert warns that the problem is not limited to just one age group. “People of any age, even children, can have high cholesterol. This could be due to genetics, but it is largely linked to physical inactivity and poor diet,” she says.
High cholesterol: learn how to prevent it
The composition of cholesterol is only one, what changes is its means of transport, that is: the lipoprotein (particle) to which it is associated, according to the Ministry of Health. It can be of high or low density, depending on the composition, with different functions.
LDL cholesterol: cholesterol combined with low-density lipoproteins is called LDL. In excess, it can be deposited on the walls of the arteries, forming fatty plaques that increase the risk of obstruction and, consequently, of heart attack and stroke. This is why LDL is known as “bad cholesterol” and its level must be kept low.
The main consequence of excess LDL cholesterol, and consequently of artery obstruction, is an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as acute myocardial infarction and stroke.
HDL Cholesterol: known to be the one who “rescues” cholesterol from cells to be eliminated. These are high-density lipoproteins that, when combined with cholesterol, are called HDL. It helps to prevent clogging of the arteries, being known as “good cholesterol ” and your level should be kept high.
Cholesterol treatment is done with medication, and medicine has advanced in this area in recent years.
In most cases, the patient takes drugs such as statins, inhibitors of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase (liver enzymes responsible for producing cholesterol).
Another treatment in expansion, which is not yet offered by the Unified Health System (SUS), is performed with the use of injections with monoclonal antibodies. They reduce high cholesterol levels by up to 60%. In the most severe cases, minimally invasive surgical intervention is required.
Source: CNN Brasil
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