High cholesterol should be taken seriously and treated, as this – combined with obesity – can be an indirect cause of heart attack, stroke and limb thrombosis. Márton Dvorák, exercise therapist at the Élétmód Medical Center, drew attention to the possibilities of effective cholesterol reduction.
LDL is “bad”, HDL is “good”
If blood fats are separated by ultracentrifugation, several fractions are obtained, of which the two best known are low-density (LDL) and high-density (HDL). Their compounds formed with cholesterol circulate in our blood, however, if if their level increases abnormally for any reason, the risk of heart attack, stroke and limb vasoconstriction increases significantly.
The level of so-called bad cholesterol (LDL) and cardiovascular diseases are particularly closely related. If too much LDL cholesterol accumulates in the blood and the body is unable to break it down, it is deposited in the walls of the arteries. Due to persistently high blood fat levels, deposits of minerals and fat on the vessel walls, so-called plaques are formed, which reduce the elasticity of blood vessels and narrow their diameter.
Because of all this, the blood vessels are less and less able to pass the right amount of blood, which is why the surrounding cells receive less oxygen, and the functioning of the organs can be fundamentally damaged. In fatal cases, the blood vessel may become blocked, leading to tissue death.
Since the level of cholesterol depends not only on lifestyle, but also on hereditary factors, it is worth having a complete laboratory test and cholesterol level measurement performed every five years from the age of 20, and annually from the age of 30, even if the results of the previous test did not indicate any abnormality.
Risk factors are related
One of the most serious changes in the vascular system, atherothrombosis, begins with atherosclerosis. Depending on where the blockage occurs, a heart attack, stroke, or limb thrombosis may occur. According to research, the occurrence of any of the three increases the chance of the other two occurring.
There is a serious risk that a patient who has had a heart attack within a few years you also have to face a stroke, just as after a stroke you are at a higher risk of a heart attack. And the patient with limb vasoconstriction is also at increased risk for the other two thrombotic diseases.
Cholesterol levels can also be reduced by exercise
The two basic elements of what needs to be done are lifestyle reform and, if necessary, medical or even drug treatment. Adequate medication and, in connection with this, frequent and professional medical control are the key to long-term effectiveness. Medicines that lower blood fat levels must be taken diligently and continuously for years in order to achieve regression of the plaques. This type of medication “reliability” is also important so that the specialist can check the effectiveness of the treatments used and, if necessary, change them.
– At the same time, it is important to know that the first step in any case is to develop a lifestyle, and the patient has a huge responsibility in this. Fortunately, many people experience that with professional management, both motivation and efficiency increase both in relation to the exercise program and nutrition, he emphasizes Márton Dvorák, exercise therapist at the Lifestyle Medical Center.
– The specially constructed, supervised exercise program has been proven to strengthen the heart muscle, help you lose weight, improve your mood, and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol level. It is also worth starting exercise under the guidance of an expert, because, for example, in the case of arteriosclerosis, it is important to start the exercise program with a low level of activity, because this initially triggers the positive effects. The goal achieving the optimal body weight, preventing or reducing excess weight, since the cholesterol level is also strongly determined by excess weight. A weight loss of just 3 kg is associated with a measurable decrease in cholesterol levels, as well as an increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in triglyceride levels. The latter can mean a reduction of up to 20-30% in proportion to the weight loss.
The European Heart Journal c. and according to a study published in a trade journal exercise equivalent to 1500-2200 kcal per week (which means, for example, walking at a pace of 25-30 km, in several parts per week) an HDL increase of 0.08-0.15 mmol/L can be achieved. According to my personal experience, moving in a group can make the process even more effective and enjoyable, since hworking together for a goal also mobilizes extra energy in us and it also strengthens our social network.
Source: Lifestyle Medical Center
Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
