High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of the most important substances required by the body to function normally. It is a waxy, fat like substance. It is found throughout the body including in the heart, brain, nerves, intestines, liver, muscles and skin. Cholesterol is used by the body in producing hormones, vitamin and acids. To fulfill all these necessities a tiny quantity of cholesterol is required. If there is more cholesterol available than required in the bloodstream, then the unwanted cholesterol gets deposited in the arteries including in the major arteries that supply blood to heart, brain and legs. The deposited cholesterol is a major element of the plaque that makes the arteries narrow and may cause arterial blockage.

High cholesterol causes coronary heart disease (CHD). In this disease the walls of the arteries get coated with a layer of the deposited cholesterol and hence it becomes difficult to supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart. The heart requires a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients to function properly. This supply is carried through the coronary arteries by the blood, to the heart. Narrowed arteries can not provide sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the heart hence it causes chest pain. Cholesterol plaques can form a blood clot and block the artery completely - that results in stopping the blood flow totally. In such a situation, heart muscle cells die because of a severe shortage of oxygen and nutrients and the result is a heart attack!

Types of Cholesterol
To check the cholesterol levels in the body, three types of cholesterol are tested: Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL). These three types of cholesterol levels help the health care provider evaluate the possibility of heart disease.

LDL is also called as _Bad Cholesterol_. LDL is generated by the liver and it is very essential to maintain LDL at low levels. If LDL is high it means that the blood has more cholesterol than needed and hence there is a risk of heart disease. HDL is counted as _Good Cholesterol_. HDL is generated by the liver to carry cholesterol and fats from the body back to the liver in order to recycle and to remove them. If HDL is high that means you have a healthy heart. VLDL carries cholesterol to the body from liver. VLDL is created with a mixture of cholesterol and triglycerides. It is important to check all these three cholesterol levels to check the probability of heart disease.

In case of a high cholesterol level, the following could be the causes:-
Condition 1. Cholesterol problem may arise because of heredity.
Condition 2. High intake of fats may increase the possibility of high cholesterol levels.
Condition 3. Cholesterol levels can be increased because of excess weight or obesity of the patient.
If any one of these is applicable to you, be careful. High cholesterol brings many complications. And the worst part of this problem is that there are no symptoms to warn you of the increased levels of cholesterol. The person having this problem may not even realize that he has such a problem. And that is why all persons are advised to check their cholesterol levels regularly, after the age of 55.

The uses of Generic Lipitor, and the precautions to be taken to check high cholesterol.
High cholesterol can not be avoided if it is hereditary. We cannot do anything about heredity but a few precautions will surely be helpful. A diet low in fats and containing more vegetables could be helpful to reduce LDL. If you think you are overweight, it_s time to reduce a few kilos to have a healthy heart. Regular physical activities can also help to keep LDL at low levels and also help in increasing HDL. Physical activities like jogging, walking, cycling and swimming can really help to keep one_s cholesterol levels under control.

Lipitor is one of the best weapons available, in your fight against high cholesterol.Those who have high cholesterol may be advised by their doctor to use generic Lipitor. You can buy Lipitor from your local pharmacy or you can also order generic Atorvastatin from online pharmacies.

By: jgreen