Regular blood tests are the only way to detect high cholesterol.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — About 38 percent of adults in the United States (US) suffer from diabetes high cholesterol and many of them are not aware of that fact. Emergency medicine doctor, Sarah Terez Malka, often sees the impact of people ignoring high cholesterol.
Though cholesterol is associated with risk cardiovascular disease higher. Malka, who is also a pediatrician at K Health, also warned that high cholesterol could be linked to diabetes and high blood pressure. Here are the things to pay attention to, as reported on the page: Eat This Not ThatWednesday (9/3/2022):
What is cholesterol?
“The body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones,” according to the American Heart Association.
Cholesterol circulates in the blood. As the amount of cholesterol in the blood increases, so does the risk to health. High cholesterol contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke.
Influencing factors
Controllable factors include:
1. Diet
Consumption of foods high in saturated and trans fats can increase as much cholesterol LDL, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). So it’s important to avoid 10 percent or more of your total daily calories from saturated fat, and avoid trans fats as much as possible.
2. Weight
Advantages body weight or obesity tends to raise cholesterol, and is a risk factor for heart disease, according to the National Library of Medicine. While there are a number of things beyond your control that can affect your weight including certain conditions and side effects of some medications, if you are interested in maintaining a healthy weight, you can discuss this topic with your healthcare provider.
3. Smoking
Smoking can increase LDL cholesterol levels and lower HDL cholesterol levels.
4. Physical activity
Lack of physical activity is associated with lower HDL cholesterol levels.
Factors beyond control, including:
1. Age
Although high cholesterol can affect people of all ages, it’s most commonly diagnosed in those between the ages of 40 and 59, according to the NHLBI. This is because as you age, your metabolism changes, and your liver is no longer able to get rid of LDL cholesterol like it used to.
2. Gender
Men are more likely to have high cholesterol than women when they are between 20 and 39 years old, but women are more likely to have high cholesterol at all other ages, according to the NHLBI. The risk of high cholesterol in women may also increase due to birth control pills, menopause, and pregnancy.
3. Race/ethnicity
Race and ethnicity can affect the risk of high cholesterol. For example, non-Hispanic whites were more likely than other groups to have high total cholesterol. While research says that black people are more likely than other groups to have high HDL cholesterol levels, according to the NHLBI.
4. Family history/genetics
The amount of cholesterol the body produces is genetic, and high cholesterol can run in families.
Detect cholesterol
High cholesterol has no symptoms. Regular blood tests are the only way to detect if you may have high cholesterol levels. If you have additional risk factors, your doctor may want to do more frequent cholesterol tests.
The CDC recommends that healthy children and adolescents be tested at least once between the ages of 9 and 11, and again between the ages of 17 and 21. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, stroke, or heart attack, people may want to get their child checked out early. , starting at the age of two.
Most healthy adults, on the other hand, should have a cholesterol test every 4-6 years, according to the CDC. A person may want to be checked more often if they have diabetes or heart disease, and have a family history of high cholesterol.
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