Is high cholesterol dangerous? Let's understand this risk simply!

Have you ever thought about your cholesterol level? You may have heard that a friend or relative has high cholesterol. But many people don't take it seriously. Because the symptoms of this are not visible on the outside. But in fact, an uncontrolled increase in cholesterol levels can silently cause great harm to our bodies. Just like the engine of a car is damaged when the oil in it gets dirty, high cholesterol can also cause major problems for our bodies over time.

Is cholesterol really the enemy?

When we hear the word cholesterol, everyone thinks it's a bad thing. But it's not really like that. Think of our body as a machine. This machine needs certain types of oil to work properly. That's what cholesterol is like.

So where is the problem? The problem is that this cholesterol is too high. There can be several reasons for this. Maybe your genetics cause your body, especially your liver, to produce more cholesterol. Or maybe the food we eat and our lifestyle have a big impact on this.

• Foods high in saturated fats (e.g. red meat, high-fat dairy products)
• Foods containing trans fats (baked products, fast food)
• Lack of exercise and obesity

Due to reasons like these, the cholesterol level in our body can increase dangerously.

The story of 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol

When you talk about cholesterol, you may have heard of two types: LDL and HDL. Let's see what the difference is between the two. Let's use a little table to understand this.

What actually happens inside the body when cholesterol increases?

Think of our arteries as pipes that carry water. When 'bad' LDL cholesterol builds up, it starts to build up on the walls of these pipes. It's like rust building up on an old water pipe. In medical terms, this is called 'plaque.' These plaques are made up of things like cholesterol, white blood cells, and calcium.

Over time, this layer of platelets becomes thicker and thicker. This reduces the space inside the blood vessel. This means that the path for blood to travel becomes narrower. This can lead to increased blood pressure. But there is a bigger, more immediate risk. That is the formation of blood clots .

How heart attacks and strokes occur

Now, this plaque that forms sometimes looks like a pimple. It has a thin membrane on top. This plaque can suddenly burst due to something like high blood pressure.

The body thinks there is a wound there. So to heal it, platelets come there and join together to form a blood clot . But if this blood clot gets big, it can completely block the blood vessel. Then the organ that is receiving blood from that vessel will not get oxygen. Now this is an emergency.

• Heart Attack: If this happens in a coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart, the heart muscle does not receive oxygen. We call this a heart attack.
• Stroke: If this happens in a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain, part of the brain does not receive oxygen. We call this an ischemic stroke .

Other problems caused by cholesterol

Platelet aggregation can also cause other health problems.

• Chest pain (Angina): Chest tightness or pain that occurs when the heart does not get enough blood during exercise or exertion.
• Peripheral Artery Disease: This condition occurs when plaque builds up in the blood vessels of the legs and arms. This can cause pain, cramping, and fatigue in the legs when walking. If left untreated, the part may eventually need to be removed.

How do I know about this?

The biggest challenge here is that high cholesterol often doesn't show any symptoms. That's why many people go years without knowing their cholesterol levels. That's very dangerous. Because these plaques that build up in your body in your 20s, 30s, and 40s don't go away. They build up over time and can manifest as a heart attack or stroke when you're in your 50s or 60s.

The only way to know this is to do a simple blood test . We call it a lipid profile test.

The American Heart Association recommends that people get their cholesterol checked at least every 4-6 years after the age of 20. However,

• If anyone in your family has heart disease
• If you smoke.
• If you are overweight.
• If you have diabetes or high blood pressure

It's wise to talk to your doctor and get this test done earlier and more frequently. Taking steps to control your cholesterol levels as soon as you know them can prevent major damage from occurring.