High Cholesterol
High cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia) is the term used to describe a number of different disorders characterised by having high levels of blood fats in the circulation. The fats in the blood are mainly of three types, called high-density lipoprotein or HDL, low-density lipoprotein or LDL, and triglycerides. HDL is responsible for mobilising the fatty deposits deposited in arterial walls and transporting them back to the liver, and is therefore regarded as good cholesterol, while LDL does the opposite and is therefore regarded as bad for us. Triglycerides are produced as a result of the digestion of fats present in our diets, and they consist of three fatty acid molecules combined with glycerol. It is one of the ways in which the body stores fats. The level of cholesterol - HDL and LDL - and triglycerides circulating in the bloodstream depend on both our genes and our diet. High levels are a potent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease, circulatory disorders and stroke, and need to be reduced, particularly in those who have other risk factors such as raised blood pressure or diabetes mellitus. We can do nothing about our genes, but by attention to our diets we can reduce our circulating total cholesterol levels by 10 to 15 per cent, and increase the proportion of HDL while reducing that of LDL. Eating foods rich in Vitamin E and C may also help prevent the formation of fatty deposits in arterial walls. Those of us with high levels of lipids, which can sometimes be seen as fatty deposits around the eyes or on tendons, called xanthomata, or around the edge of the cornea, called arcus, and which do not respond sufficiently well to diet, may need treatment.
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