High cholesterol: causes and complications

The increase in cholesterol can occur due to excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, a sedentary lifestyle and a diet rich in fats and sugar, in addition to being related to family and genetic factors, in which even with good eating habits and regular physical activity, there is an increase cholesterol, this situation being known as familial hypercholesterolemia.

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is important for the proper functioning of the body and is made up of fractions, which are LDL, HDL and VLDL. HDL is cholesterol popularly known as good cholesterol, as it is responsible for removing fat molecules, being considered a heart protection factor, while LDL is known as bad cholesterol, as it can be easily deposited in blood vessels, despite also be essential for the formation of some hormones.

High cholesterol only poses a health risk when LDL is very high, mainly, or when HDL is very low, as this means the person is more likely to develop heart disease. Learn everything about cholesterol.

Main causes of high cholesterol

The increase in cholesterol has no symptoms and is detected through laboratory tests, in which the entire lipid profile is checked, that is, HDL, LDL, VLDL and total cholesterol. The main causes of increased cholesterol are:

• Family history;
• Food rich in fats and sugar;
• Excessive alcohol consumption;
• Cirrhosis;
• Decompensated diabetes;
• Thyroid changes, such as hypo or hyperthyroidism;
• Renal insufficiency;
• Porphyria;
• Use of anabolic steroids.

As the increase in cholesterol may also be due to genetic factors, it is important that people who have a family history of high cholesterol are more careful and pay more attention when it comes to diet and physical activity, as the risk of developing diseases cardiovascular disease due to high cholesterol is greater.

Consequences of high cholesterol

The main consequence of high cholesterol is a considerable increase in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, since due to the increase in LDL there is greater deposition of fat in the blood vessels, which results in changes in blood flow and, consequently, heart activity.

Therefore, increased cholesterol increases the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, heart failure and high blood pressure. This increase has no symptoms, and we diagnose it only through a lipidogram, which is a blood test that evaluates all cholesterol fractions. Understand what the lipid profile is and how to understand the result.

What is the treatment like?

The treatment aims to regularize HDL and LDL levels, so that the total cholesterol value returns to normal. To do this, it is necessary to make changes to your diet, practice physical activity regularly and, in some cases, the cardiologist may recommend the use of medications to help lower cholesterol, such as Simvastatin and Atorvastatin, for example. Discover other remedies to lower cholesterol.

In the diet to lower cholesterol, preference should be given to consuming fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as they are foods rich in fiber, which help reduce the absorption of fat in the intestine. Furthermore, you should avoid consuming red meat, bacon, sausage, butter, margarine, fried foods, sweets and alcoholic beverages.