(Voice Over) Cholesterol.
You hear the word a lot, but what exactly is cholesterol,
and why should you be concerned about it?
(Dr. Farkouh) Cholesterol is a fatty substance
found among the lipids in the blood stream
and in cells throughout the body.
Cholesterol is not inherently bad.
In fact, cholesterol is naturally occurring
and plays an important role in the formation of cell membranes
and in the manufacturing of hormones.
But the body only needs a small amount of cholesterol
to carry out most of these functions.
It is only when the body has too much cholesterol
that it becomes a potential health risk.
Cholesterol and other fats cannot dissolve in the blood stream,
so they need to be transported into and out of cells
by special carriers called lipoproteins.
Cholesterol is carried by 2 of these,
Low Density Lipoprotein, known as LDL,
and High Density Lipoprotein, known as HDL.
When the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream increases,
the body needs to create additional lipoproteins.
LDL cholesterol has become known as "the bad cholesterol"
because when there is too much of it in the blood stream,
it tends to build up in the arterial walls, forming plaque.
This plaque build-up clogs and hardens the arteries,
a condition known as atherosclerosis.
This can lead to heart attack or stroke.
HDL Cholesterol has been dubbed "the good cholesterol"
because it seems to actually aid
in removing cholesterol from the body
by carrying it away from the arteries
and back to the liver, where it is passed from the body.
Determining your cholesterol level is easy
and can be done with a simple blood test.
The normal level of cholesterol for any individual
depends upon their age, weight, and sex,
but typically an LDL cholesterol level of above 160 milligrams per deciliter
is considered high.
Similarly, an HDL cholesterol level below 40 milligrams per deciliter
would usually be considered too low.
Either high LDL levels or low HDL levels
can put you at risk for plaque build up.
The first and easiest way to reduce cholesterol
is to restrict your fat intake.
High cholesterol is an important factor in heart disease and stroke
and managing your cholesterol is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
The good news is that there are many effective ways to manage high cholesterol,
as you can see from other films in this library.
However, an important first step towards a heart-healthy lifestyle
should be to see your doctor
and find out your cholesterol level.
(Voice Over) Want to learn more?
Check out other videos and sources on this site for more information.