|
It's common for people to think high cholesterol and hypertension are one and the same-and with reason, too. While they are two different things, together they often make for a life-threatening combination. High cholesterol levels can cause hypertension, which can in turn cause a variety of deadly conditions, such as strokes and heart failures.
Hypertension is when the heart experiences a difficulty in pumping blood through the body, and is thus being constantly overexerted. Having high blood pressure is the most common indicator of hypertension, which is why the two terms are frequently used synonymously. Unlike the temporary raise in blood pressure experienced by those doing vigorous exercise, hypertension is a constant condition.
There are many different causes of hypertension, and their effects may vary in degree from one person to another. In some cases, certain diseases are clearly determined as the cause of hypertension. Kidney disease, diabetes, and certain tumors are among those that have been found to cause hypertension in some people.
In many cases, however, hypertension is caused by a combination of different factors. Obesity, high caffeine and alcohol consumption, and high salt intake are considered to be contributing factors. Race, age and heredity, may also play a role. Stress is also believed to increase one's likelihood of having hypertension.
Still, high cholesterol levels remain one of the most common direct causes of hypertension these days.
Cholesterol is crucial to a number of body functions, including the maintenance of the cell membranes, so one cannot go completely without it. However, there are two types of cholesterol in the body: the good kind, called high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and the harmful kind, called low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The liver naturally produces cholesterol, but HDLs actually work to get rid of the harmful LDLs. However, an excessive intake of food containing high levels of LDL (such as fatty, animal-based food products) can raise the level of bad cholesterol beyond what the good cholesterol can eliminate.
The excess cholesterol causes a buildup of fatty acids and calcium, commonly known as plaque, within the arteries. As the arteries get more and more congested by these deposits, the heart has an increasingly difficult time pumping sufficient blood through your entire body. This constant overexertion of the heart (hypertension), when left untreated, can result in strokes and heart attacks.
Sadly, the prevalent sedentary lifestyles nowadays-which involve too much unhealthy fast food and too little exercise-can easily cause high cholesterol levels and hypertension. While there already are maintenance drugs available, early prevention is still the way to go. Fortunately, for many people, avoiding these two dangerous conditions can be as easy as incorporating fruits, vegetables and grains into their diets, and doing leisurely exercises such as walking, dancing, or playing sports. Simple, healthy choices such as these can play a huge role in keeping high cholesterol and hypertension-and the deadly diseases they cause-at bay.
|
