The human body is a collection of complex systems that all work together to perform the basic functions of life. When one of these mechanisms doesn’t function properly, serious problems can occur, and the circulatory system is one of the most important. Conditions like heart attack and stroke happen when there’s a blockage in a vein or artery that prevents blood from reaching certain critical areas, and cholesterol level is a contributing factor. If a physician tells you that your numbers are too high, hypercholesterolemia treatment is necessary for good health over the long run.
Particulates in Your Blood
When taking a look at your bloodstream, low and high-density cholesterol are lipids that can’t be dissolved in your blood, which means that they float around. Whenever enough of these particles come together to form a blockage, life-giving oxygen cannot reach certain areas of the cardiac muscle or brain, which is how deadly incidents like stroke and heart attack happen. While low-density is typically called “bad,” it’s important to know that high levels of the “good” variant don’t guarantee safety from one of these events.
Genetics Are a Major Factor
While it’s always good to be conscious of trans-fat, sodium and other ingredients of your food, it’s important to realize that most of your cholesterol problems are not the result of your diet. The disorder is known as familial hypercholesterolemia because it’s an inherited condition that occurs when your liver can’t properly metabolize these particles out of your blood. Cholesterols are actually an important substance for proper cell function, but it’s crucial that they get recycled efficiently to prevent early-onset cardiovascular disease.
Healthy Lifestyle Helps
Any hypercholesterolemia treatment should be an all-encompassing effort, and it starts with leading a healthy lifestyle. If you’re a regular smoker, it’s crucial that your curtail that activity as soon as possible, because it can put additional stress on the cardiac muscle by constricting blood vessels and raising pressure. Even though most lipids are produced by the body, a proper diet helps by not exacerbating the condition. A regular exercise regiment could also help to raise the levels of good cholesterol.
Medication Therapy is Crucial
One of the most important ways that doctors design treatment for hypercholesterolemia is by attacking the problem head-on with regular medication. Drugs typically fall into the category of inhibitors that prevent the production of cholesterol, and chemicals that prevent it from being absorbed into the bloodstream. It’s up to a physician to determine the best course of action in each individual case, which is why regular doctor visits are important.
Dodge the Silent Killer
While a diagnosis can be disturbing, the good news it that you can still live a full and happy life with cholesterol problems if you strictly follow the advice of your physician. The proper hypercholesterolemia treatment plan is one that’s designed to meet your own individual needs, so be sure to take your medication, cut back on unhealthy activities and engage in your prescribed exercise regimen. With a little bit of work, you can overcome this genetic disorder and break the familial cycle.