Cholesterol and Heart Disease
Cholesterol and heart disease are very closely linked when it comes to having a healthy heart or not. Basically, everyone has what is known as good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. If you accumulate enough of the bad cholesterol, it will cause fatty deposits to build up around the arteries that are responsible for carrying oxygenated blood and other necessary nutrients to your heart. When too much of these fatty deposits known as plaque build up, the arteries become too narrow for the blood to pass through properly.
The name for this condition is called atherosclerosis. It shows clearly how cholesterol and heart disease are related. It is also the most common type of heart disease as it is the basis for some truly serious heart problems. Once the arteries become too narrow for enough blood to pass through and get to the heart, you are in danger of having a full blown heart attack. It may begin with warning signs such as chest pain called angina. This is a symptom of a deeper heart issue and should be checked out with your doctor as soon as you notice the pain happening.
Bad cholesterol is accumulated through eating the wrong types of food, smoking, and drinking to excess. Good cholesterol and heart disease just does not happen. If you keep your cholesterol levels at an acceptable level, chances of you having any heart related problems are pretty slim. The only exceptions to this would be if you have a congenital problem, or a hereditary one.
Even maintaining good cholesterol can be an inherited issue. If your parents, grandparents, or siblings tend to carry high cholesterol numbers, chances are it will happen to you as well. You will need to work extra hard at keeping it down because your body will fight you on this. Being aware of the connection between bad cholesterol and heart disease is definitely a plus, though.
To help things along, watch your diet carefully, get enough exercise, quit smoking, and keep your alcohol intake to a minimum. If you have a propensity for high cholesterol, you will also want to have regular checkups with your doctor to make sure that you are keeping it out of the danger zone. Forewarned is forearmed, so if your cholesterol levels run continuously high, your doctor will also be aware of this and be able to help do some things that may lower it for you.
Information on signs-of-heart-disease.com is general information, and is not intended to substitute for informed professional medical or other professional advice.
