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Dr Amirani
Dr. H. Amirani is a Wichita cardiologist. He can be reached through his physician assistant, Kathy Kimpler at 316-616-3333 or e-mail kakpamt@hotmail.com
Health & Medicine
2005-12-29 10:52:00
Why is cholesterol important?
ANSWER: Over half of Americans will die of arthrosclerosis, also known as, hardening of the arteries. An individual with a high serum cholesterol level will have an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and sudden death. Cholesterol levels above 200 increase these risks as much as 1% for every 2 points of elevation. What is the difference between cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL? Total serum cholesterol is a combination of all fats. These fats play a large role in maintaining bodily functions such as making hormones, repairing artery walls, protecting nerve cells, making bile acids and more. • Triglycerides are a particular type of cholesterol made up of a combination of fats and carbohydrates. These triglycerides help provide energy for the body.  • LDL is a type of cholesterol that can build up in artery walls, and is considered to be the "lousy" cholesterol because it is so atherogenic. • HDL can be thought of as the "healthy cholesterol" because it has the unique ability to clean bad cholesterol from artery walls.When total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL are in high enough quantities they can lead to arterial atherosclerotic plaques (fatty deposits in arteries).  What should my cholesterol levels be?A total cholesterol level of less than 200 is desirable. A triglyceride level of 150 or below is optimal. An HDL (healthy cholesterol) level of above 45 is good. An optimal LDL (lousy cholesterol) level of below 100 is recommended. What can I do to lower my cholesterol?Eating foods low in fat is one way to lower your cholesterol. We need to eat some fat in our diet to remain healthy.  A person should eat 25 to 30% of their total caloric intake in fats. A person who eats a 2000-calorie diet should be eating approximately 45 to 75 grams of fat daily. But, not all fats are the same. Saturated fats can be found in beef, dairy products, butter, lard, poultry, lamb, and pork. Saturated fats are the single biggest cause of rising cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL levels.
 
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