Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance in the body that is an
important part of normal body function.
Cholesterol has two main types: HDL, or good cholesterol, that protects
against heart disease,
stroke and
peripheral vascular disease; and LD, or bad
,cholesterol, that increases the risk of these conditions.
Cholesterol tests measure total cholesterol as well as HDL and LDL levels in
the blood. Triglycerides, another type of fat present in the bloodstream, may
also be measured.
Cholesterol tests are usually ordered and blood drawn in the health care provider's office.
There are also home test kits available. It is important to be fasting for the
tests to be accurate. Typically, a fasting test is performed first thing in the
morning before the individual has eaten anything for the day.
Cholesterol test results should be discussed with the health care provider to determine if treatment
of high cholesterol is necessary to decrease the risk of heart disease and
stroke.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fat that the body needs to produce
important structures and chemicals. It is one of the main components of cell
membranes, the outer lining that protects the internal structures that make body
cells work and function properly. Cholesterol is also a building block for many
of the hormones in the body including mineralocorticoids that control
electrolyte levels in the body, glucocorticoids involved in carbohydrate
metabolism, and sex hormones including testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.
Cholesterol is one of the building blocks that assists in forming
Vitamin D in the
body. Vitamin D is responsible for calcium
metabolism in the body.
There are two important types of cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)
and low density lipoprotein (LDL). LDL is the bad cholesterol that deposits in
arteries when too much is present. HDL is considered the good cholesterol
because it can bind to LDL cholesterol and return it to the liver where it can be removed from
the body.
While most of the cholesterol in the body is obtained through the foods we eat, it is
also produced in the liver to meet the body's demands. The body attempts to
regulate the amount of total cholesterol, but when too much cholesterol is
present, the excess can be deposited in arteries throughout the body. This leads
to artery narrowing and increases the risk of
heart attack, stroke, and
peripheral vascular disease. Elevated LDL levels increase the risk of these
diseases, and elevated HDL levels decrease the risk.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Cholesterol is naturally produced by the body, and is a building block for cell membranes and hormones. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol, conversely, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol. High cholesterol treatment includes lifestyle changes (diet and exercise), and medications such as statins, bile acid resins, and fibric acid derivatives.
Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary
artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical
instability of the heart.
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) refers to diseases of the blood vessels (arteries and veins) located outside the heart and brain. While there are many causes of peripheral vascular disease, doctors commonly use the term peripheral vascular disease to refer to peripheral artery disease (peripheral arterial disease, PAD), a condition that develops when the arteries that supply blood to the internal organs, arms, and legs become completely or partially blocked as a result of atherosclerosis. Peripheral artery disease symptoms include: intermittent claudication, rest pain, numbness in the extremities, and more. Treatment for peripheral artery disease include: lifestyle measures, medication, angioplasty, and surgery.
Heart disease (coronary artery disease) is caused by a buildup of cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries. Risk factors for heart disease include smoking, high blood pressure, heredity, diabetes, peripheral artery disease, and obesity. Symptoms include chest pain and shortness of breath. There are a variety of tests used to diagnose coronary artery disease. Treatment includes life-style changes, medications, procedures, or surgery.
When a portion of the brain loses blood supply, through a blood clot or embolus, a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke) may occur. If the symptoms do not resolve, a stroke most likely has occurred. Symptoms of TIA include: confusion, weakness, lethargy, and loss of function to one side of the body. Risk factors for TIA include vascular disease, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Treatment depends upon the severity of the TIA, and whether it resolves.
Vascular disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system. Vascular disease ranges from diseases of your arteries, veins and lymph vessels to blood disorders that affect circulation.
Heart disease, particularly coronary artery disease is the leading cause of heart attacks. Women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and high triglycerides are contributors to heart disease. Some of the common symptoms of a heart attack in women include chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, feeling faint or woozy, and more. Heart disease can be prevented by lifestyle changes and controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and diseases such as diabetes.
Heart attacks are the major causes of unexpected, sudden death among men and women. A heart attack is also a significant cause of heart failure. Learn the risk factors for heart attack such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other heart conditions. Lowering your risk factor, lifestyle changes, and in some cases medication are the most effective way of preventing a heart attack.
A heart attack is a layperson's term for a sudden blockage of a coronary artery. This photo essay inlcudes graphics, pictures, and illustrations of diseased heart tissue and the mechanisms that lead to coronary artery disease, and possible heart attack.
Stroke is the third leading killer in the United States. Some of the warning signs of stroke include sudden confusion, trouble seeing with one or both eyes, dizziness, loss of balance, and more. Stroke prevention and reatable risk factors for stroke include lowering high blood pressure, quit smoking, heart disease, diabetes control and prevention.
Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in the United
States. Over a million people each year will have a heart attack and 25% will
die before they get to the hospital while or in the Emergency Department.
Prevention is the key to treatment of heart disease.
Diagnosis of heart disease is often made by careful history taken by a health care
practitioner.
Some individuals may have atypical symptoms, including almost none at all.
The testing strategy to confirm the diagnosis and plan appropriate
treatment needs to be individualized for each patient diagnosed with heart
disease.
Treatment of heart disease depends upon the severity of disease, and is often directed by the
symptoms experienced by the affected individual.
Introduction to heart disease
The heart is like any other muscle, requiring oxygen and nutrient-rich blood for it t...