Being told that your cholesterol is elevated can scare anyone enough to start making drastic lifestyle changes. This is because having high cholesterol can put a person at increased risk of coronary heart disease. A few small changes can make a...
An elevated cholesterol level can negatively impact your child's health, increasing his chance of developing heart disease or stroke later in life. The Kids Health website from Nemours reports that the dramatic increase in childhood obesity puts...
Cholesterol is a waxlike substance that is produced by animal livers, including the human liver, and is necessary for proper body functioning. However, an excess of cholesterol can lead to clogged arteries, heart disease and other health issues....
Cholesterol and triglycerides are types of fat that store energy and circulate in the blood. According to the American Heart Association, a high triglyceride level combined with high cholesterol levels speeds up atherosclerosis, or the buildup of...
Plavix, the brand name of the generic medication clopidogrel, is classified as an antiplatelet drug. Plavix does not reduce elevated cholesterol levels. However, elevated cholesterol levels increase your risk for stroke and heart attack, and...
About 1 in 30 adults older than 50 in the United States suffers from a vitamin B-12 deficiency, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And high cholesterol affects more than 102 million Americans, according to the American...
Scientific studies link elevated cholesterol to cardiovascular disease, according to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine." High cholesterol deposits on the walls of the blood vessels create plaque. Niacin is one of several classes of drugs...
Blood tests reveal a lot about the state of your health, alerting you to the possible need to take corrective action through diet, lifestyle changes or medication. If your blood tests high for cholesterol, triglycerides and mean corpuscular...
You are probably aware of the need to control your cholesterol numbers, particularly your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol comes in the form of foods derived from animals, such as meat, eggs and whole dairy...
Not all cholesterol is created equal. There is the HDL, or high density lipoprotein, which is considered good and the LDL, or low density lipoprotein, which is considered bad. According to the American Heart Association, you should have an HDL...
Seventy-five percent of the necessary cholesterol in your blood is produced by your liver, and the other 25 percent comes from the food you eat, according to the American Heart Association. Having higher amounts of blood cholesterol than this can...
Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil can reduce your risk of heart disease in several ways: lower your triglycerides, reduce plaque in your arteries and lower blood pressure. If you take fish oil in high doses, you could elevate your low-density...
The foods that you eat can affect your risk of developing many health problems, including cardiovascular disease. Although many people do not associate a high-carbohydrate diet with increased cholesterol levels, consuming too many refined...
Though cholesterol is needed in the body for many reasons, too much of it may pose health risks. High cholesterol is commonly found in people with cardiac conditions such as high blood pressure and heart failure. Hydrochlorothiazide is one of the...
Understanding elevated blood cholesterol levels can save your life. About 102 million people in the United States elevated blood cholesterol levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 35 million of these Americans...
Although it has developed a bad reputation, cholesterol contributes to your cell structure and allows your body to synthesize certain hormones and vitamins. Problems arise when your blood cholesterol levels get too high. The main dietary factor...
Elevated GGT can signify many serious health issues. The liver enzyme is a telltale sign of many liver diseases and cancer, alcoholism, pancreas- and kidney-related issues. It may even foretell your risk of cardiovascular death. It's especially...
Cholesterol describes a fat-like substance found in all cells in the body. Although the body requires cholesterol in order to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile---a digestive substance that helps break down fats, too much cholesterol in the...
When you get a cholesterol test, you get a total cholesterol reading, and if it's high, you could be at risk for heart disease. However, that reading includes the two basic types of cholesterol: LDL, or the "bad," and HDL, or the "good"...
Low density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol is the bad kind of cholesterol because it can react with oxygen and lead to plaque formation in your arteries. Your genes influence your LDL cholesterol, but elevated LDL cholesterol can also result...
When your liver is diseased or injured, your body releases tell-tale enzymes that your doctor can measure through tests. Many conditions unrelated to the liver can cause abnormal results, however. For example, some gallbladder treatments that...
High cholesterol and triglycerides are a serious health issue. More than 100 million adults in the United States have high cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 35 million of these Americans have high enough...
The liver is central to the metabolism of cholesterol because it produces and regulates proteins that traffic cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol elevation may be due to congenital reasons, abnormal metabolism, or a result of excessive intake of...
According to the Centers for Disease Control, cholesterol medications are among the most commonly used drugs in the US. While effective in controlling cholesterol, these medicines can cause serious side effects, such as liver problems, says the...
High-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol is protective against heart disease. The role of HDL cholesterol is to travel throughout the bloodstream, collecting cholesterol and carrying it back to the liver for breakdown and disposal....
Your liver performs many functions pertaining to digestion, detoxification and protein, carbohydrate and medication metabolism, according to the Gastroenterological Society of Australia. It produces and secretes several enzymes that have various...
As of 2011, the prevalence of statin use has climbed considerably. From 1988 to 1994, only 2 percent of Americans were prescribed statins. That number increased to 25 percent of Americans from 2005 to 2008. With the rate of use on the rise,...
Elevated cholesterol levels may cause numerous negative health effects. According to Dr. Dicken Weatherby, a naturopathic physician and author of the book "Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis," elevated cholesterol levels may occur in people who...
High cholesterol causes all sorts of serious medical problems, including heart conditions, kidney disease and stroke. The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation cites a study by Kaiser Permanente that links mildly elevated cholesterol...
Take control of cholesterol. Learn the facts about cholesterol and tips for lowering cholesterol count in this video.
The Shangri-La Diet was created by Seth Roberts, an associate professor of Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley. Learn how to make healthy food choices for the Shangri-La Diet from a licensed dietician and nutritionist in this...
Omega-3 fatty acids are macronutrients found in fish and flaxseed oils. Try these tips for buying foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids in this healthy shopping video.
Coronary artery disease, or coronary heart disease, is the end result of the heart muscle losing nutrients due to blockage in blood vessels of the heart. Learn more about coronary heart disease, including warning signs and treatments in this video.