Increased cholesterol in the blood: causes, dangers, how to treat

About a quarter of Russians are overweight. More than 18 million people worldwide die from cardiovascular diseases. At least 2 million people have diabetes. The common cause of all these ailments is high cholesterol, which affects about 147 million people around the world.

In Russia, the USA, Canada and Australia, more than 60% of the population faces this. The problem has already been called a “national catastrophe”, but, unfortunately, not everyone takes it seriously. How to prevent severe vascular disorders?

The most current and up-to-date information about cholesterol.

Cholesterol: myths and reality

Most uninitiated people imagine this substance as fat, but doctors say that cholesterol is a natural alcohol. When frozen, it looks like salt crystals. A fat-soluble substance of organic origin accumulates in the cells of organs and systems.

The body really needs cholesterol, since the membrane of our cells consists of it. Therefore, no matter what we eat, the body will produce it and distribute it to create new cells and restore the membrane of old ones.

The main purpose of cholesterol compounds is to insulate nerve tissue and protect the cell membrane. Cholesterol promotes the production of hormones by the adrenal glands and sex glands. 80% of the substance is produced by it itself, the rest enters the body with the products we eat.

There are two types of cholesterol; in everyday life they are called “good” and “bad”. The substance itself is homogeneous and has neutral characteristics.

And the usefulness of the substance depends on how cholesterol is transported, what substances pick it up, and which lipoproteins it interacts with. It contains about 200 g in organs, mainly in nerve tissues and the brain.

The first type is represented by high-density lipoproteins, which prevent contamination of blood vessels with foreign deposits. “Bad cholesterol” refers to low-density lipoproteins that can settle in the vascular bed and create health problems.

There is also a type of very low density lipoprotein. Increased bad cholesterol in the blood, what does this mean? Once formed, a plaque does not disappear from the body. By clogging the arteries, it prevents the passage of blood and oxygen to the internal organs.

Gradually, the lumens of blood vessels narrow, and atherosclerosis is often diagnosed at a young age.

A life-threatening plaque is a plaque that turns into a paste of calcium and clogs the vascular bed by 75%. Only “bad” cholesterol creates these problems, although its properties are often attributed to cholesterol in general.

Prerequisites for lipid metabolism disorders

Before getting rid of the consequences, it is important to determine the cause of the cholesterol imbalance. The cholesterol level may change with:

• Obesity;
• Long-term smoking;
• Liver failure (for example, with stagnation of bile associated with alcohol abuse);
• Diabetes mellitus;
• Excess of adrenal hormones;
• Sedentary lifestyle;
• An unbalanced diet (fiber deficiency, passion for fatty foods, gastronomic delicacies with a high concentration of spenders, confectionery);
• Hormone deficiency (thyroid gland, reproductive system);
• Insulin hyperactivity;
• Kidney failure;
• Use of certain medications;
• Genetic disease – dyslipoproteinemia.

It’s not just pills that eliminate these conditions. Statins, which are prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack, have side effects. How to lower cholesterol quickly at home without drugs? The simplest remedy is prevention: active recreation in the fresh air, feasible physical activity.

If measures to restore a healthy lifestyle are not enough, you can study the experience of traditional medicine. But, in any case, you need to start with an examination and consultation with specialists.

Why do we need cholesterol?

If cholesterol is within normal limits, it only has a positive effect on the body. In addition to creating a cell membrane that protects it from an aggressive environment, it also performs many other functions:

1. Plays the role of a filter that recognizes molecules that need to be allowed into the cell and those whose access needs to be blocked;
2. Controls the level of carbon crystallization;
3. Serves as a stimulating substance in the production of bile acids;
4. Helps synthesize vitamin D, which is essential for normal skin condition, using solar energy;
5. Its optimal level improves metabolism, including fat-soluble vitamins;
6. As part of the myelin sheath, it covers nerve endings;
7. Normalizes hormonal levels (testosterone contains 50% cholesterol);
8. Responsible for the degree of membrane survival;
9. Protects red blood cells from the aggressive effects of hemolytic toxins;
10. Helps the liver synthesize fatty acids necessary for processing fats;
11. Activates serotonin receptors, eliminating depression.

But the body needs a tiny fraction of the cholesterol produced. Excess amounts pose a fatal risk to the heart.

Improving the functioning of the nervous system

The normal functioning of the nervous system plays an important role in the regulation of processes occurring in the body. Constant stress, mental overstrain, insomnia can cause lipid metabolism failure, as a consequence of atherosclerosis.

If your psycho-emotional state is disturbed, you can take sedatives with herbal ingredients. Spend more time outdoors.

A simple breathing exercise will help you relax: inhale air for 4 seconds; hold your breath for 2 seconds; Exhale for 4 seconds; then hold your breath again for 2 seconds. The exercise is done for 3 minutes. It helps you relax and calm down.

If high cholesterol is accompanied by pain in the chest, increased blood pressure, or severe fatigue, this should be a reason to consult a doctor.

Reasons for the increase in “bad” cholesterol – who is at risk?

The main prerequisite that contributes to the accumulation of excess cholesterol is an unbalanced diet, when an excess amount of fat enters the body (margarine (spread), mayonnaise, butter, fatty meat, crabs, shrimp, baked goods, high-fat fermented milk products).

By the way, the amount of cholesterol in lard is lower than in butter. According to nutritionists, you should consume 1g of fat per 1 kg of body weight per day.

Provoke an increase in “bad” cholesterol:

• Alcohol and smoking abuse, which have a toxic effect on the liver, where cholesterol is synthesized;
• Cardiac pathologies in the form of heart attack and angina;
• Diabetes mellitus – high blood glucose levels are an additional provoking factor for the production of “bad” cholesterol;
• Kidney failure;
• Extrahepatic jaundice;
• Hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver;
• Pregnancy;
• Lack of growth hormone;
• Uncontrolled use of a group of drugs disrupts the metabolic balance;
• Frequent stressful situations increase the production of the hormone cortisol in the blood, which destroys protein tissue and increases the level of glucose in the blood;
• Excess body weight.

Men with large bellies are also at risk. Fat envelops internal organs, disrupting their function, increases intra-abdominal pressure, and negatively affects the function of the liver, which synthesizes cholesterol. This list also includes women during menopause, who have reduced reproductive function and the synthesis of female sex hormones.

Fans of low-fat diets are also at risk. Why do people need cholesterol when losing weight, and why should it come from food? When 20% of the required cholesterol does not come from food, the body begins to produce more of it.

Concentration camp prisoners had constantly high levels of cholesterol in their blood. In addition to the stressful situation, the cause was constant malnutrition with a complete lack of fat in the diet.

Other causes also influence the production of high cholesterol: hormonal medications, oral contraceptives, diuretics and beta-blockers. Age will also be a risk factor, since over time the normal functioning of the body becomes more difficult.

Treatment of high cholesterol

To normalize high cholesterol, you should include the following foods in your diet:

• fruits and vegetables;
• low-fat dairy products;
• dishes prepared by steaming or boiling;
• white meat.

With a slight increase in cholesterol levels, its content is normalized by physical activity (if possible, daily jogging for a distance of 4 km or walking for 1-1.5 hours).

Fast food increases cholesterol levels, so you should take your diet seriously.

If levels of the substance are high, your doctor may prescribe medication. Statins are mainly prescribed to block the synthesis of an organic compound in the liver.

Choice of fish oil or camelina oil

The consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) leads to a decrease and normalization of cholesterol levels. Of these, only linoleic and linolenic fatty acids are considered essential. All other FAs (both saturated and monounsaturated) are synthesized in the human body from carbohydrates and proteins.

Of the PUFAs, linoleic acid, which belongs to the omega-6 fatty acid family, significantly reduces cholesterol levels. Another PUFA, linolenic acid, belongs to the omega-3 family of fatty acids. It doesn't lower cholesterol by itself, but it does reduce triglycerides in the blood, and replacing saturated fatty acids in the diet with fats containing omega-3s reduces the level of the bad kind. Thus, linolenic acid acts similarly to linoleic acid.

This implies the importance of the presence of both acids in the diet. The need for fatty acids of the omega-3 and omega-6 families is determined based on the quantity required to prevent and eliminate their deficiency; an indirect sign of the sufficiency of these acids is their concentration in organs and tissues. According to the standards of Rospotrebnadzor of the Russian Federation, the adequate level of consumption of fatty acids of the omega-3 family is 1 g, the upper permissible level of consumption is 3 g. For fatty acids of the omega-6 family, the adequate level is defined as 10 g, the upper permissible level is not indicated.

In addition to the amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the diet separately, the ratio between them is also important. Omega-6 should not exceed omega-3 by more than 10 times, since these acids compete for common resources in the body. With an excess of one, the absorption of the other deteriorates. The most optimal and evolutionarily established ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs is considered to be a ratio from 1:2 to 1:10.

In the modern human diet, this proportion has changed sharply in favor of omega-6 and reaches 1:20-1:30, due to the greater availability of sunflower oil for the population, a reduction in the fish diet and the depletion of omega-3 fatty acids in eggs, milk and animal meat, fed with combined feed and grain crops. To correct the current situation, dietary correction is necessary, i.e. replacing part of the sunflower oil with fish oil or camelina, mustard or linseed oil.

Abuse of low-fat diets can cause high cholesterol (when the body does not receive it through diet, it begins to actively produce the substance itself).

Eating greens

Unlike herbivores, the human body is adapted to temporarily increase cholesterol levels in the blood. He learned how to effectively get rid of its excess. Products with plant fiber promote the removal of organic compounds, which stimulate the growth of lacto- and bifidobacteria, which remove bile acids from the intestines, from which, in turn, cholesterol is synthesized in the liver.

Fermented milk products help maintain healthy microflora.

Greens are a rich source of antioxidants, which prevent cholesterol from going rancid and preventing it from depositing on the walls of blood vessels. Products of plant origin do not contain it; instead, they contain compounds of a similar nature (phytosterols). Due to their chemical similarity to cholesterol, phytosterols compete with it in the body and displace it, impairing its absorption and stimulating excretion. Thus, regular plant food reduces blood cholesterol levels. At the same time, phytosterols do not accumulate in the body, since they are poorly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.

In most cases, high cholesterol levels in the body are caused by non-compliance with the rules of a healthy lifestyle. Normalize your weight, give up unhealthy foods, play sports and the level of the substance will gradually return to normal. In more serious cases, it is important to strictly adhere to the treatment regimen prescribed by the specialist.

Blood cholesterol level

In healthy people, cholesterol levels are quite high: normal levels do not exceed 1.0 mmol/l. A deficiency will create additional problems for the body.

The cholesterol limit for healthy people does not exceed 3.5 mmol/l.

In hypertensive patients and diabetics, this figure should be less than 2 mmol/l. Exceeding this norm can provoke the development of atherosclerosis. For total cholesterol, normal values ​​should not exceed 5.2 mmol/l.

In addition to quantitative parameters, the qualitative composition of cholesterol is also assessed: the proportions of its different fractions - LDL, HDL, TG. In healthy people, atherogenic cholesterol (LDL) is in the range of 100 - 130 mg/l (in hypertensive patients - 70 - 90 mg/l).

The most accessible way to determine your concentration of all types of cholesterol, which can be done in any clinic, is a blood test called a “lipid profile.”

Healthy people over 35 years old need to monitor whether their indicators are within the normal range at least once every 2 years. Patients at risk, as well as those who have (or have had) patients with vascular pathologies in their family, should be examined annually.

Why is it also recommended to consult a doctor if the readings are below 3.5 mmol/l? See the answer in the program “Quality of Life: About the Most Important Thing”

Traditional methods of treatment

It will be difficult to quickly lower cholesterol levels only with the help of traditional methods if you do not follow a diet, continue to drink and smoke, and spend most of the day on the couch. But with an integrated approach, recipes from the folk piggy bank can be a good help in combating the problem:

• dandelion root - a powder is prepared from dried raw materials, then a teaspoon is consumed before each meal during the day. A course of six months is enough to feel improvement;
• propolis tincture – 4% composition helps to cleanse blood vessels and reduce blood cholesterol levels if you mix 7 drops of tincture with a glass of water and drink half an hour before meals;
• licorice root - many people know this ingredient as being present in cough recipes. In this case, a two-month course of treatment will help get rid of excess cholesterol. 2 tablespoons of raw material are crushed and boiled for 10 minutes in 500 ml of water, then drunk in a course of 2-3 weeks, a third of a glass three times a day. After a month of break, the course is repeated;
• white cinquefoil root - cut it into pieces, pour 50 g. raw materials with two glasses of vodka and leave in a dark place for two weeks, shaking constantly. You should drink 25 drops before meals for 30 days. After a ten-day break, if the infusion is over, you need to add another glass of vodka, but take 25 drops over the next 14 days;
• tincture of hawthorn flowers - 4 tablespoons of flowers are poured with a glass of alcohol and infused for 10 days. The finished composition is consumed first by 5 drops, increasing the dose by 5 drops daily. When it reaches 100, you need to drink the infusion in the reverse order, gradually reaching the original five drops.

A mixture of lemons, horseradish root and garlic is good for removing high cholesterol.

You need to take 250 grams. lemon, garlic and horseradish root, grind everything in a meat grinder (lemons with skin), pour a glass of cool water and leave overnight to infuse. Take the prepared mixture one tablespoon at a time, with a small amount of honey, three times a day before eating. This recipe is not suitable for people suffering from stomach and intestinal diseases.

Symptoms of High Cholesterol

Doctors call cholesterol “the gentle killer” because the desire to eat a cake or ham does not provoke pain, like a bad tooth. The accumulation of harmful substances is often asymptomatic.

When cholesterol concentrations increase, atherosclerotic plaques form in the body, which lead to cardiovascular and other health problems.

A number of nonspecific signs indicate elevated cholesterol in the blood:

• Cardiac pathologies. Coronary artery disease is a consequence of narrowing of the coronary arteries;
• The appearance of clots with significant bleeding;
• Chest and joint pain;
• Fat granulomas are painful inflammation of the skin;
• Yellow spots of fat on the skin under the eyes, small fatty spots in the corners of the eyes;
• Pain and heaviness in the legs even with minor exertion.

These are just the main signs, if identified, you need to undergo an examination. Signs of the disease often appear only when cholesterol levels have already reached critical levels.

Diagnosis, symptoms and additional studies

Typically, a person with high cholesterol experiences the following symptoms:

• light gray rim near the cornea of ​​the eye;
• yellowish nodules on the skin of the eyelids;
• angina pectoris;
• weakness and pain in the lower extremities after exercise.

It is impossible to diagnose a deviation based on external signs and symptoms. Sometimes they may be completely absent. Therefore, to determine cholesterol levels, you need to do a lipid profile - a blood test from a vein . It will show the level of total, “bad” and “good” cholesterol in the blood

More details about the lipid profile and its indicators are described in the video:

What are the dangers of high cholesterol?

High cholesterol concentrations over a long period of time create conditions for the formation of severe pathologies:

• Coronary heart diseases caused by difficulties with blood saturation with oxygen;
• Vascular thrombosis;
• Brain stroke;
• Myocardial infarction;
• IHD;
• Kidney and liver failure;
• Alzheimer's diseases.

Excessive cholesterol content provokes the development of hypertension. Damage to the walls of blood vessels creates the preconditions for leg diseases - varicose veins, thrombophlebitis.

Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by dyslipidemia - a change in the proportions of different types of lipoproteins. As a result, diabetics have an increased chance of developing heart and vascular diseases.

Patients often find out about high cholesterol only after some complication occurs - coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke. In men, a strict cholesterol-free diet reduces sexual activity; in women, amenorrhea may develop.

As you can see, high cholesterol significantly increases the chances of serious vascular diseases; it can literally kill a person, so our main task is to prevent its significant fluctuations.

Statins for cholesterol

If a diet with cholesterol-lowering foods does not produce results, the doctor prescribes special drugs - statins - to normalize cholesterol metabolism. In old age they are recommended for preventive purposes.

Statins inhibit the activity of an enzyme that is involved in the production of cholesterol in the liver.

Clinical studies confirm that statins help in cases of cardiovascular disease, but their use for preventive purposes is not effective.

It is increasingly said that cholesterol standards are lowered to give drug manufacturers the opportunity to sell drugs to reduce supposedly elevated levels.

It has been proven that high cholesterol is not always an indispensable companion to vascular atherosclerosis.

The connection between elevated cholesterol levels and heart and vascular diseases has been questioned.

There is emerging evidence of a link between taking cholesterol-lowering medications and liver disease, memory loss, muscle weakness, type 2 diabetes, and decreased production of vitamin D in the body.

Statins can cause headaches, nausea, intestinal upset, and worsen heart function due to a decrease in coenzyme Q10 levels.

Grapefruit juice increases the level of statins in the blood.

Drug cholesterol lowering

Modifying dietary habits is not enough to normalize high cholesterol levels, because it depends not only on what we eat: it is largely produced by the liver.

If its levels are very high or there is a serious cardiovascular risk, doctors recommend taking medications that lower high cholesterol for life.

How to treat the disorder? Most often, statins are prescribed, which block the synthesis of a substance in the liver. True, they have a fairly solid list of contraindications. Drugs in this group (Crestor, Lipitor, Mevacor), as well as medications with nicotinic acid (Niacin), help balance the level of good and bad cholesterol.

If side effects occur, Transverol is prescribed. Bile acid sequestrants prevent the absorption of dangerous substances in the intestines: Questran, Colestipol. If tests reveal elevated cholesterol, the choice of medications and treatment regimen should only be made by a doctor. He will also recommend vitamins: B3, B6, B12, E, folic acid.

Norms: what level is considered elevated in women and men

Unlike other blood parameters (glucose, formed elements, coagulation parameters), the concentration of cholesterol varies depending on age and gender , and constantly increases from the period of birth. But the graphical growth curve is not the same: in men it normally peaks at puberty, which is associated with increased synthesis of androgens; in women it has a smoothly increasing character. Moreover, the numbers at the same age are different for both sexes. So, whether cholesterol is high or low depends on how old the patient is, what his gender is and his hormonal level.

For convenience, special tables have been developed that summarize the normal values ​​of all fractions of lipoproteins and total cholesterol, as well as transport proteins, taking into account the individual characteristics of the subject. The units of measurement are mmol per liter or milligram per deciliter. In assessing lipid metabolism, the main role is played not so much by the independent values ​​of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but by the ratio between the fractions.

➔ Tables of cholesterol levels for women and men, taking into account age

Doctors compare the results of the biochemical analysis with the values ​​in the tables and determine further treatment tactics.

Slightly or moderately high cholesterol levels can be corrected by consuming cholesterol-lowering foods, optimizing the diet, and traditional medicine methods.

Cholesterol and pregnancy

The lipid profile during pregnancy changes significantly in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. In this case, the content of lipoproteins can increase by one and a half to two times. But such indicators should not be a cause for concern, since the intensive work of the liver is aimed at the needs of the developing fetus.

Moderate hypercholesterolemia does not provoke the occurrence of heart failure.

If an increase in cholesterol was detected in the first trimester, and in the 2nd-3rd it exceeded 12 mmol/l, you need to adjust your diet. The doctor will prescribe a special diet that limits certain types of foods and methods of heat treatment. If the readings are high, repeat tests are prescribed.

If lifestyle changes do not lead to the desired result, medications are prescribed. If all examinations are done on time, the risk of developing atherosclerosis is significantly reduced.

Folk remedies to combat cholesterol

Traditional medicine has accumulated many recipes for cleansing blood vessels and strengthening their tone, but their use is not so harmless. Allergic reactions and side effects due to concomitant diseases are possible. Therefore, it is important to be careful when using recommendations.

You can reduce cholesterol without medications with the following folk remedies:

• Prepare raw materials: half a glass of dill seeds, 1 tbsp. l. finely chopped valerian rhizome, 1 cup. honey Add boiling water (1 liter) to the mixture and leave for 24 hours. Store the infusion in a cool place and take 3 times a day, 1 tbsp. l. before meals.
• To obtain garlic oil you will need 10 cloves and 2 cups. olive oil. Chop the garlic first and combine with oil. Leave for about a week. Use as a seasoning without heat treatment.
• You can make an alcohol-based tincture. For the recipe you need to prepare 350g of chopped garlic and 200g of alcohol (vodka). The mixture is kept for at least 10 days and treatment begins with 2 drops 3 times a day. It is best to add the tincture to milk, increasing the single dose to 15-20 drops. Next week, the dosage is gradually reduced - from 20 to 2 drops. It is recommended to repeat the course every 3 years.

  200g alcohol (vodka)

  Chopped garlic

  The tincture is best added to milk

Low-cholesterol diet

Despite the ongoing debate about the effect of food on cholesterol levels, diets remain the most accessible and, in many cases, effective way to get rid of high cholesterol. Diets in this case mean certain nutritional rules with a list of restrictions, and not strict “fasting”. The goal of any therapeutic diet is human health.

For men

The hypocholesterol diet menu for men is not much different from that for women. Unless portions for physically active men can be increased by one and a half times. Basic rules of a low-cholesterol diet for everyone:

1. Hearty breakfast. If the body needs a large amount of calories, it is better for them to enter the body in the first half of the day.
2. You should eat in small portions - 4-6 times a day (counting as a meal and an apple eaten before bed).
3. The diet must contain a sufficient amount of proteins (including eggs), vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

For women

Vegetables and fruits are especially beneficial for women, which can be eaten in almost unlimited quantities (if they are not fried) in the form of salads, freshly prepared juices or whole.

Only vegetable fats should be used for cooking - olive, sunflower, corn, etc. Salads can be seasoned with low-fat yogurt or sour cream. Be sure to follow the rule - do not have dinner later than 5 hours before bedtime. Although 2 hours before bedtime you can drink a glass of kefir.

What can't you eat?

The most strict point in any diet is the list of “prohibited” foods, that is, what you should not eat at all. It is often incorrectly considered normal to completely abstain from all animal fats if cholesterol is high, despite the fact that, say, butter is rich in vitamins D, A, C and other beneficial components. Therefore, today doctors propose not to exclude, but to limit the consumption of animal fats, carbohydrates, and pork meat, understanding that they also contain substances necessary for the body.

You should refuse:

• fried, smoked and excessively fatty foods;
• sweet carbonated drinks, butter and puff pastries, products with cream or cream;
• fast food products, snacks, sausages and any unhealthy snacks between meals;
• excessive alcohol consumption.

The best option for a personalized diet can only be selected in a doctor’s office.

Cleaning blood vessels with folk remedies

Nowadays you can see many exciting calls to “clean blood vessels quickly and without drugs” using folk remedies. But everything is not as simple as we would like. Already formed cholesterol plaques are not easy to remove. You can only prevent further accumulation of cholesterol or potentiate the production of high-density cholesterol, which medicinal plants can really help with. The most effective fees are:

• hawthorn and rosehip berries, thyme, motherwort and mint herbs;
• birch buds, yarrow and immortelle herbs, chamomile flowers;
• chokeberry fruits, birch leaves, yarrow flowers and leaves, dandelion roots, wheatgrass, horsetail;
• rose hips, buckthorn bark, hawthorn and immortelle flowers, grass and orthosiphon flowers.

The components are mixed in approximately equal parts and brewed with boiling water (200 ml per tablespoon of the mixture), infuse and drink a third of a glass before meals. Before such cleaning of blood vessels, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

High HDL level

If during a lipid profile an excess of only this fraction was detected, then there is no need to worry. On the contrary, this is a positive factor, indicating that the body has serious protection against the occurrence of atherosclerosis. That is, the walls of the vessels are elastic and elastic, and they themselves are clean from atherosclerotic plaque and plaques.

Normally, HDL has the following indicators.

But the concept of normal HDL is quite relative, and it is revealed in comparison and contrast with all other cholesterol fractions.

Going beyond the normal range of this fraction indicates that pathological changes have begun in the body. And the higher the violation of normal cholesterol values, the greater the likelihood of the development and complications of atherosclerosis.

The risk of the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis is assessed using the following indicators.

The last two points of the table deserve special attention, since their values ​​indicate that atherosclerosis has already appeared and is developing.

What to do if low-density cholesterol is high?

With elevated LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol levels also rise. If total cholesterol is elevated to 8 or 9 mmol/l, a person begins to worry about what to do. First, do a lipid profile to find out which fraction provoked the excess of the norm. If low molecular weight cholesterol is elevated, it is necessary to find and eliminate the cause of this disorder.

Treatment may require both medicinal and non-medicinal methods. Your doctor will help you choose the optimal therapeutic regimen.

How to reduce?

Since the accumulation of excess cholesterol is a long-term process, the question of how to reduce high cholesterol cannot be resolved at once. Only a comprehensive treatment strategy can effectively treat high cholesterol.

Pills

In the treatment of hyperlipidemia, or high cholesterol, lipid-lowering drugs are indicated, that is, they reduce the amount of “bad” cholesterol. Tablets belong to this group:

• Tribestan, Effex, Tribulus based on the Tribulus terrestris herb extract;
• Revaitl with garlic oil as active ingredient;
• Pyricarbate, the chemical name of the active substance is 2,6-pyridine dimethanol ether;
• Nicotinic acid tablets are a remedy that improves metabolic processes in the body.

An improvement in lipid metabolism during treatment with tablets is usually observed with simultaneous use with vitamins, statins and other groups of drugs.

Statins

The statins group represents the largest cluster of medications used to treat high cholesterol. The most famous:

• Atorvastin (and its analogues Tulip, Torvacard, Liprimar, Atorix, Atomax, etc.);
• Rosuvastin (Rosucard, Rozart, Mertenil, Lipoprime, Crestor, etc.);
• Lovastatin (Choletar, Medostatin, Cardiostatin).

All of these groups of drugs are available in pharmacies with a prescription; they have extensive lists of contraindications and side effects, so their use must be agreed with a doctor.

Other drugs

In addition to statins, the following groups of medications will help remove excess cholesterol:

• fibrates – Ciprofibrate, Fenofibrate, Gemfibrozil;
• preparations containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omacor);
• blockers of cholesterol absorption from the intestine (Ezetimibe).

Many medications for high cholesterol are used in combination with other medications to enhance the effect.

How else can you reduce it?

The dependence of the amount of cholesterol on the fats consumed in foods is not an indisputable fact in modern medicine. But among the external causes of hypercholesterolemia, the abuse of solid fats still leads. And many years of therapeutic practice show that the measures given below can reduce high cholesterol.

Nutrition

Doctors pay special attention to diet for high cholesterol. It should not be harsh on all animal products. Nobody calls on everyone to become vegans, who, by the way, also often have high cholesterol. Nutrition should be balanced in the content of proteins, vitamins, polyunsaturated acids, and coarse fiber. Simply put, the diet should contain more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish and lean meat, but baked goods, sweets, animal and transformed fats will have to be limited.

Cholesterol-lowering foods

The following have pronounced hypocholesterol properties:

• fish (herring, horse mackerel, salmon);
• vegetables (bell peppers, cabbage (especially broccoli), eggplant, green beans, tomatoes)
• all kinds of greens (spinach, salad crops, green onions, garlic, parsley, tarragon), which can and should be eaten raw;
• The most useful cereals are oatmeal and buckwheat; bakery products are baked goods made from flour with bran;
• nuts (almond, walnuts, hazelnuts), seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin).

The use of these products helps to normalize metabolic processes in the body, including lipid ones.

Linseed oil

Flax seed oil contains the same omega-3 polyunsaturated acids that can increase high-density cholesterol. Therefore, biologically active additives (BAS) are produced based on flaxseed oil as an additional source of these acids and vitamin E.

It has not only a hypolipidemic, but also a mild laxative, anti-inflammatory, enveloping effect, and also to some extent hypoglycemic (lowers blood sugar) and antianginal (anti-ischemic). Therefore, it is effective for the prevention of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.

Herbs

Those who prefer to “drink herbs” for any disease will be interested in the lipid-lowering properties of some herbs. These properties are provided by vitamins, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and other beneficial substances contained in plants. As additional (and not primary) lipid-lowering agents, official medicine approves the use of:

• dandelion root and leaves, which have choleretic properties;
• leaves and flowers of calendula, exhibiting anti-sclerotic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic properties;
• flax seeds, which improve the functioning of the heart and gastrointestinal tract;
• licorice root, which effectively reduces high cholesterol with long-term use;
• alfalfa leaves and flowers, which have hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects;
• grass and oat seeds, rich in magnesium, calcium, B vitamins;
• flowers, leaves and berries of raspberries, rich in pectin, manganese, potassium and organic acids.

Despite the beneficial properties of these plants, you need to be careful in combating high cholesterol with their help. Some of them also have side effects or can cause a severe allergic reaction, so it is better to discuss which of them you can take with your doctor.

Lifestyle

Doctors call a healthy lifestyle one of the main conditions for eliminating high cholesterol, as mentioned above. Let's look at how an unhealthy lifestyle affects cholesterol levels.

Bad habits - smoking, drinking alcohol - contribute to lipid metabolism disorders. In the case of alcoholism, they lead to fatty degeneration of the liver, the main producer of high-density cholesterol, due to which increased low-density cholesterol is activated.

A monotonous diet with a predominance of foods that provoke lipid metabolism disorders, and not enriched with useful substances, often leads to obesity, metabolic syndrome and other conditions accompanied by high cholesterol. Inactivity does not allow the body to rationally expend energy, provokes the deposition of fats, and disruption of metabolic processes. That is why, in order to stabilize cholesterol levels, it is necessary to remove all these provoking factors.

Lifestyle and exercise

Lifestyle affects all basic processes in the body. To reduce cholesterol and improve health, you need to give up:

1. Smoking. Tobacco smoke and nicotine tars provoke rapid wear of blood vessels. Their walls lose elasticity and become brittle; cholesterol plaque forms at the site of microdamage, which, over time, grows into a plaque or blood clot. Smokers have a higher risk of stroke than non-smokers.
2. Drinking alcoholic beverages. Such addiction leads to alcoholism. Alcohol destroys all tissues in the body, but blood vessels are especially affected. The effect of alcohol leads to pressure surges and improper redistribution. Pressure surges provoke microtraumatization of blood vessels, which subsequently become clogged and clogged.
3. Physical inactivity. A sedentary lifestyle kills no less than bad habits. People who lead an active lifestyle maintain their health much longer than those who exercise little. The more movements, the more active all metabolic processes are.

With hypercholesterolemia, it is mandatory to perform feasible physical exercises. Ideally, this should be some kind of permanent sport. But people with limited physical abilities can exercise at home by performing a fifteen-minute set of exercises. The main thing is that they are on a regular basis.

If health and finances allow swimming in the pool, then this is the key to not only lowering cholesterol levels, but also improving the health of the entire body. Absolutely all muscle groups work in water. Swimming has a positive effect on the entire cardiovascular system.

Diagnostics

The examination is carried out under the supervision of an endocrinologist. If the cholesterol concentration is too high, a woman needs to take the following measures:

• Patient interview. It is necessary to identify all possible health complaints. The problem is that increased cholesterol does not affect your well-being. At least in the early stages of development of the disorder.
• Anamnesis collection. Lifestyle, nutrition, professional and daily activity, past disorders, current illnesses, heredity and family history play a huge role. These points can become key in identifying the problem and its essence.
• General blood test. Gives an idea of ​​your cholesterol level. No more. Used in routine practice to establish the existence of a problem.
• Biochemistry. Especially with an expanded picture of the lipid profile. Used for detailed assessment of fat parameters.
• If necessary, instrumental studies are carried out. But this is rather a method of identifying the consequences of high cholesterol. Atherosclerosis primarily. Dopplerography, duplex scanning and other methods.

Basically, this is enough. Next, doctors act according to the situation.

Why does it increase in a child?

In some cases, cholesterol is elevated in a child. The most common cause of hypercholesterolemia in children is a hereditary disorder of lipid metabolism, an innate predisposition to the predominance of certain fractions of drugs in the blood. Therefore, pediatricians recommend doing the first blood test for cholesterol at the age of 9, maximum at 11. If the child has obvious problems with metabolism (obesity, fatty hepatosis), such a test should be done at the age when these problems were discovered, and periodically repeat.

Pediatrics does not yet have sufficient experience in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in children, since, for example, drug therapy in this case is possible only from the age of 10 years.

Therefore, doctors recommend preventing this condition in children, especially those at risk for dyslipidemia:

• obese;
• those who eat improperly (this also happens in children with normal weight);
• who do not receive sufficient physical activity for their age;
• who are heirs of families with a history of pathologies of the cardiovascular system, peripheral vessels, atherosclerosis, strokes, heart attacks, obliterating arteritis, diabetes mellitus.

In most cases, eliminating provoking factors (except hereditary ones) allows you to keep the amount of cholesterol in children at the normal level.

Mechanism of development of the disorder

The basis of any hypercholesterolemia is a violation of the normal deposition of fats.

Further, it all depends on which specific substance has changed its own concentration. Let's look at the types of disorders in more detail.

Type 1

Accompanied by disruption of the adequate functioning of some enzymatic structures. A characteristic manifestation is an increase in the level of chylomicrons, a special class of lipoproteins.

This species is relatively rare and plaque formation is not typical for it. Except in some situations. Etiology (origin) is almost always hereditary. This is the main mechanism for the development of the disorder.

Recovery is carried out under the supervision of an endocrinologist using dietary methods.

Type 2a

Characterized by an increase in the content of low-density lipoproteins (abbreviated LDL). In other words, the same “bad” cholesterol.

This is the most common type of process, accompanied by the deposition of lipids on the walls of blood vessels, with further blockage and critical disturbances in blood flow.

It develops against the background of poor nutrition, diabetes, thyroid diseases and other endocrine diagnoses.

The etiology is always secondary, treatment provides an effect sufficient for complete correction. Drugs such as nicotinic acid and statins are used.

Type 2b

It has some similar properties, but it is much more widespread throughout the body. The concentration of not only low-density lipoproteins, but also triglycerides is disrupted, which aggravates the situation. The system classifies them as VLDL (very low density lipoprotein).

Often the pathology is based on genetic abnormalities of a congenital nature. Systemic therapy over a long period of time.

Type 3

Does not actually fall into the category of high cholesterol. Accompanied by an increase in intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL or DILI). There is minimal or no tendency to form plaques.

The therapy is long-term and does not always have an effect. One of the most sluggish types of process.

Type 4

A characteristic feature is the formation of excessive amounts of very low density lipoproteins and triglycerides (TG). It is found as the culprit of plaques, blockage of blood vessels and the development of atherosclerosis as a dangerous disease.

It responds well to specific treatment, the main thing is to detect the disorder in time. The cause may be hereditary or acquired. As a result of the influence of various factors: from obesity to diabetes.

Type 5

Defined as a combination of the fourth and first forms of the process. At the same time, there is an increase in very low density lipoproteins and chylomicrons.

Most often, the disorder provokes severe forms of inflammation of the pancreas - pancreatitis.

This is a generally accepted classification. It is broader and covers not only cholesterol, but also other lipids.

Thus, the mechanism of development of a deviation is almost always based either on genetic abnormalities, hereditary changes, or on acquired factors. For example, other diseases - be it disorders of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, diabetes mellitus, obesity, systemic inflammation, etc.

Reasons for the increase

The causes of high cholesterol depend on the type of hypercholesterolemia. There are three of them:

1. Primary;
2. Secondary;
3. Nutritional.

The primary type is genetic in nature.

Patients with the primary type of hypercholesterolemia have a history of relatives:

1. With endogenous and combined hyperlipidemia;
2. Suffering from Niemann-Pick disease;
3. With polygenic hypercholesterolemia.

Thus, a similar disease develops in those patients whose relatives suffer from an imbalance of lipoproteins.

Secondary hypercholesterolemia develops against the background of various diseases:

1. Kidney diseases;
2. Endocrine disorders;
3. Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
4. Disorders of the liver and pancreas.

Nutritional hypercholesterolemia appears as a result of poor nutrition. It affects people who often overeat or eat before bed. Their food is high in calories and contains large amounts of animal fat.