The Five Dangers of High Cholesterol
Beware of the 5 dangers of high cholesterol. High cholesterol in the blood over time can produce, for example, heart disease that kills 960,000 people a year in the United States alone. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 49 percent of adults in the United States have high cholesterol and only 12 percent are receiving treatment.
High cholesterol is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease and more. High cholesterol can be changed through a healthy diet and physical activity, which you can learn more about here. Let’s look at other health risks and complications of high cholesterol.
- Stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
According to a study by Tehran Medical University, high cholesterol is a risk factor for ischemic and bleeding accidents. 80% of strokes are ischemic in nature. Stroke leads to rapid loss of brain function lasting more than 24 hours. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, one way to identify an impending stroke is by the presence of characteristic symptoms.
For example, drooping face, numbness on one side of the body, arm weakness, confusion, dizziness, difficulty speaking or walking, difficulty seeing out of one eye, and unexplained headache. Stroke is a disabling cause and it is one of the four leading causes of death worldwide, killing one in every eight people. Increased cholesterol is associated with a high risk of ischemic stroke.
According to a study by Harvard Medical School, an increase in cholesterol of about 38.7 mg/dL in women under 55 years of age was associated with a 23% increased risk of ischemic stroke.
- Heart Attacks And High Cholesterol
According to a study published by the Physicians Committee, 7.1 million Americans have had a heart attack. Heart attacks are responsible for one in six deaths from cardiovascular events. Those who survive have a high chance of having another heart attack.
Heart attacks occur because cholesterol builds up in the arteries in the form of plaque, restricting blood flow. The plaque breaks down and forms clots, blocking the flow of blood and causing the heart to receive less oxygen, putting pressure on the heart and producing chest pain and heart failure.
- Chronic Kidney Disease
According to a Johns Hopkins University study, high total cholesterol levels are associated with the development and progression of kidney disease. One measure of kidney function that can be assessed through blood tests is creatinine, a substance produced in the muscles and excreted by the kidneys, which increases in kidney failure. According to a Kyushu University study, high cholesterol, about 232 mg/dL, increases creatinine by 2.1 to 8.7 mg/dL over a period of about 4 years.
- Inflammation Of The Liver
According to a study conducted by the Institutes of Maastricht University, increased cholesterol leads to liver inflammation and increases the risk of liver damage, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
According to a study conducted by the Catholic University of Chile, inflammation of the liver is triggered by the presence of large amounts of cholesterol. Cholesterol causes damage and death to liver cells, so there is a liver response, which is inflammation. The inflammation develops into fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver.
According to a study by the Liver Institute, cirrhosis is considered the final stage of liver inflammation and increases the need for liver transplants, with a mortality rate of 57%.
- The Relationship Between Alzheimer’s Disease And High Cholesterol
According to a Harvard Medical School study, cholesterol controls beta-amyloid, a substance that accumulates and forms plaques in the brain and is associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
According to a German university study, lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 60 to 70%. The risk of Alzheimer’s increases with age, 10% in people over 60 and 45% in people over 85, according to a study prepared by the University.
