# Cholesterol



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Thanks, Peggy. Well enough to continue teasing banter on MHF until someone gets personal then I run and hide 

Chloresterol up a tad on a year ago. When they say people should be below 4 I do wonder what percentage of my gender-demographic is above it anyway.

In fact, connecting this with reading the other day about national factors/ culture affecting obesity, it would be nice to have some official statistics on such health metrics, separated by nation, geography, gender, age, nature of employment, etc. One of the things that has impressed me is the change over a relatively short period into the metrication of health. Blood tests are amazing things nowadays.

Dave


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

My last reading was a cholesterol of 3.9 previouse to that was 6.4

Another test in a couple of weeks.

UK average appears to be 5.7


What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is one of the body's fats (lipids). Cholesterol and another lipid, triglyceride, are important building blocks in the structure of cells and are also used in making hormones and producing energy. 

To some extent, the cholesterol level in blood depends on what you eat, but it is mainly dependent on how the body makes cholesterol in the liver.

Having too much cholesterol in the blood is not a disease in itself, but can lead to the hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the major vascular systems. 

For the sake of simplicity, there are two sorts of cholesterol: a 'good' sort called high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and a 'bad' sort called low-density lipoprotein (LDL). 

HDL has a useful effect in reducing cholesterol and taking it back to the liver. HDL actually protects against atherosclerosis.
LDL can contribute to diseases of the heart and circulation (cardiovascular disease). 
It is the proportion of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol that influences the degree to which atherosclerosis is likely to cause problems (cardiovascular risk). 

LDL cholesterol level can be lowered by eating a low fat diet and, if necessary, taking medication. HDL cholesterol level can be raised by exercising. 

What is high cholesterol?
Did you know?
Cholesterol levels rise slightly with age.

Women generally have a higher HDL cholesterol level than men.
A blood sample, taken after a person has fasted for several hours, can be used to measure the levels of all forms of cholesterol. 

In the UK, the average total cholesterol level is 5.7mmol/l.

The levels of total cholesterol fall into the following categories: 

ideal level: cholesterol level in the blood less than 5mmol/l.
mildly high cholesterol level: between 5 to 6.4mmol/l.
moderately high cholesterol level: between 6.5 to 7.8mmol/l.
very high cholesterol level: above 7.8mmol/l. 
As well as this figure, doctors also have to take into account:

the ratio between good and bad cholesterol
the presence of other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure.
It is possible for someone to have a high level of total cholesterol and still have a relatively low cardiovascular risk because of an absence of other risk factors or because their family history is free from coronary disease.

Anyone with an established track record of cardiovascular disease such as angina (chest pain), a previous heart attack, coronary angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery should seek advice to keep their total cholesterol level below 5mmol/l or their LDL below 3mmol/l. 

What can cause high cholesterol levels?
Both hereditary and environmental factors affect the cholesterol level. 

Cholesterol levels can run in families. If the inherited cholesterol levels are very high, this is called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). Familial combined hyperlipidaemia (FCH) is where the triglyceride levels are very high as well. 

Levels can also be influenced by the part of the world you live in: cholesterol levels in northern European countries are higher than in southern Europe and much higher than in Asia.

We know that diet is a major factor, with diets that are high in saturated fat (cakes, pastry, meat, dairy products) raising cholesterol. 

High cholesterol is also seen in connection with other diseases such as:

reduced metabolism due to thyroid problems 
kidney diseases
diabetes 
alcohol abuse.
What are the symptoms of high cholesterol in the bloodstream?
You can't feel whether you have high cholesterol levels in the same way that you can a headache, but a high level combined with other risk factors can lead to atherosclerosis and symptoms of cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis is the build up of cholesterol and fat (fatty deposits or plaques) in the artery walls. The arteries become narrow and hardened, their elasticity disappears and it becomes difficult for blood to flow through. 

These fatty plaques can rupture, causing blood to clot around the rupture. If blood can't then flow to a part of the body, the tissue dies.

The following are all symptoms of cardiovascular disease. They depend on the degree of narrowing, the likelihood that the plaque is going to rupture (vulnerability), and the organ supplied by the affected arteries. 

If the arteries that supply the lower limbs narrow, this can cause leg pain when walking or running (intermittent claudication). If a clot suddenly blocks the major peripheral vessel to the lower limb, it may starve the leg of blood to such an extent that it requires amputation.
In the brain, a blood clot (thrombus) may block an artery or a smaller blood vessel may rupture, causing local haemorrhage (bleeding). Either will result in a stroke.
In the heart, narrowed coronary arteries cause angina and ruptured plaques cause blood clots that can lead to a heart attack. This may lead to reduced heart function if a significant amount of heart muscle is damaged. 
If the carotid arteries in the neck become narrow, clots may form and float to the brain. This can result in a stroke or repeated 'mini-strokes' (transient ischaemic attacks or TIAs).
It's common for those most affected by atherosclerosis to have the disease in several arteries, including:

the aorta, the main artery in the chest and abdomen
renal (kidney) arteries 
mesenteric (intestinal) vessels. 
What can be done to prevent cardiovascular disease?
High cholesterol is only one of many risk factors that lead to hardening of the arteries. Other major risk factors are listed below.

Smoking: recent research shows that middle-aged women and men who smoke have a much higher risk of suffering a heart attack. The risk drops in the years following giving up smoking. 
Diet: food is another important factor. A Mediterranean diet made up of bread, fruits, vegetables and small amounts of lean meat, fish, and olive oil is recommended. 
Alcohol: moderate consumption reduces the negative effect of the LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol. Too much raises blood pressure and damages the liver, having an adverse overall effect. 
Exercise: even on a small scale this can reduce the chance of coronary artery disease. Hard physical exercise increases the blood's ability to break up blood clots. 
Body weight: it is important to avoid obesity, especially when fat is around the stomach. 
How does the doctor make the diagnosis? 
After a 12-hour fast in which only water is consumed, a blood sample is taken to determine the level of:

LDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
triglyceride
total cholesterol in the blood.
Test levels are adjusted to take into account age, weight, diabetes, kidney diseases and decreased metabolism. 

Cholesterol count also rises during pregnancy and drops significantly for at least three months after a heart attack.

The doctor can make a rough estimate of the extent of cardiovascular disease by checking the pulse, the blood pressure, listening to the heart and large arteries, checking kidney function with a blood test and arranging an exercise stress test.

How is high cholesterol treated?
Cholesterol-lowering medicine is needed if your total cholesterol level remains higher than 5mmol/l and you already have cardiovascular disease.

Medication may also be needed when changes to diet and lifestyle fail to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Did you know?
There are now national guidelines to help your doctor estimate the cardiovascular risk for your cholesterol and blood pressure readings. 
Your doctor can calculate your 'cardiovascular risk' based on key numbers such as blood pressure, weight and medical history.

UK guidelines are that medication should be started when an individual's risk of coronary disease is greater than 30 per cent over 10 years. 

Statins (eg simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin) are the most effective medicines for lowering cholesterol. These reduce the production of 'bad' LDL cholesterol by the liver, which decreases LDL cholesterol blood levels by up to 50 per cent. 

Although statins are normally very effective, non-statin treatments such as Ezetrol (ezetimibe) are available if there are any problems with side-effects such as muscle pains. These can also be used in conjunction with statins if cholesterol levels remain high, or if a high level of statin causes side effects. Older treatments also exist such as fibrates which can be very effective when used in conjunction with more modern treatments.


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Thank you; I'll blame my cholesterol on Iceland 

I was quite happy till I read the answer might be statins; don't want any of them. Not sure why he picked it up. I'm UK average cholesterol, no family coronary disease, normal BP, never smoked, overweight but coming down, exercise daily minimum 20mins with heart rate maintained between 130 and 155.

I'll have seconds of the lentil pasta bake tonight 

Dave
Edit: Sorry bozzer! It's that Clive leading us astray.


----------



## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Well mine is over 8 !!!!

But I did diet and lose over a stone in weight. Do exercise, do not smoke, mod drinker so overall risk is not high?

Avoiding statins if at all possible. Just had another blood test today.

Oats help mop up Cholestrol I believe, & walnuts.


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Well, over 8 means one foot in the grave so may as well double the alcohol intake, Rita! 

I'll tell Alison the doc says I must double my oats rations. Wonder what her reaction will be? 

Dave


----------



## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Mine was once in double figures and I was falling asleep everywhere. Today its sub 5 with one statin a day and a junior aspirin. Oh and no longer spare ribs a fried rice every night!

c.


----------



## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

DABurleigh said:


> I'll tell Alison the doc says I must double my oats rations. Wonder what her reaction will be?
> 
> Dave


  :wink:


----------



## dodger148 (May 9, 2005)

Mine runs around 4.2/4.7 with one Statin a day. 
The cardiologists seem happy if it stays under 5.


----------



## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

CliveMott said:


> Mine was once in double figures and I was falling asleep everywhere. Today its sub 5 with one statin a day and a junior aspirin. Oh and no longer spare ribs a fried rice every night!
> 
> c.


Is that why I keep falling asleep in the evening :!:


----------



## carol (May 9, 2005)

That is the best write I have read about it - being diabetic and was 4.6 I was put on statin (simvastatin) because IT CAN'T BE TOO LOW....

Was due for fasting bloods today but it got cancelled, so as sister is on holiday next week it is the following week..... wonder what it will be this time, last time it was down to 2.6

I am definitely overweight and it is all around the stomach, so that's a bad one, but I have lost weight but it just doesn't go from there, exercise...what's that, is it walking around the shops? If so I manage that.... and use my fingers.....

Oh well, we can only die once, just hopefully not yet, have too many things I want to do still....

Carol

Dave, what was Alison's answer?


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"That bl00dy treadmill gives you too much energy!"


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Lady p purchased a cross trainer for me. A nice chrimbo pressie.
It looks nice in the corner of the bedroom. And handy for hanging clothes on.
My mountain bike looks really nice on the rear of mh.
Its in the shed at the moment so i am not temopted to torture it.

My problem is that my ideal weight is for someone a couple of inches taller than myself.

DAVE P


----------



## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Carol I wouldn't worry too much about the weight issue. 

Andy and I are both morbidly obese and had never been tested for anything so I decided as my new year resolution we would do fasting bloods and be tested for all we could. 

Doctor was so disappointed with us, we are stinkingly healthy in every dept. 

Even got low blood pressure and heart rate to boot :lol: 

Cholesterol was 3.5 for him and 3.9 for me
Sugar was also low for both of us - I had convinced myself Andy would have Diabetes as he is well over 20st. 
Liver and Kidney functioning fine. 

We are still trying to loose weight but really its for the vans sake!   

Mandy


----------



## anteater (Oct 29, 2009)

I believe cholesterol can be too low i.e. if it is very low indeed, there could maybe be a liver malfunction? Don't quote me on this.

I think it is not just the size of someone... it is down to the fact that some very large and heavy people are actually fit due to exercise, and some thinner people are couch potatoes and not healthy at all.

I have never yet met a very heavy, inactive person who can honestly say that they feel great. In fact, I have never met a thinner person who doesn't exercise and claims to feel great. Our bodies are meant for movement!! And that does not mean ambling a few hundred yards once a week or walking round the food shops!! The body needs to be pushed a bit; that is what it was designed for and it responds very nicely indeed!


----------



## sirhandel (Mar 5, 2008)

anteater said:


> .....The body needs to be pushed a bit; that is what it was designed for and it responds very nicely indeed!


Exercise is not easy unless you find something you enjoy doing that encourages you to do it daily. To do that it's got to be convenient (on your doorstep), cheap, and something you want to repeat.

How do you push your body?

By the way I agree with you - I run or cycle for min 30 mins every day and have done for the last 50 years.


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I just love sport.
football
cricket
cycling
tennis
swimming

in fact

I can sit and watch anything

Dave p

got to lose a bit my bike leathers have shrunk in the wardrobe over winter. :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

If you are looking to push yourself try Cannock Chase for cycle riding. 

We in our wisdom did just this at the weekend, love cycling for pleasure  but this was purgatory , we did 15 miles not far to some I know but it felt like 13 of them where 1.1 in the wrong direction. 

Lived to tell the tale and did a nice leisurely one along canal banks yesterday. 

Don't know why but never enjoyed longer than 5 mile walks, just like to see more faster which you tend to do on a bike. 

Mandy


----------

