About High Cholesterol

Most of the Americans are facing a problem with a High Cholesterol in their blood. According to the sources, nearly 102 million adults i.e. more than 20 years old are reported with a high level of cholesterol. It is given that the level of cholesterol in their blood is or above 200 mg/dL. And among these people, more than 35 million people have cholesterol level at or above 240 mg/dL, which is at high risk for heart disease. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance carried through blood made in the liver attached to proteins. Your body needs cholesterol, which is produced naturally in your body. But, High Cholesterol in your body can cause serious health problems. Due to a high level of cholesterol in the blood, it causes deposits into the blood vessels. Thus depositions make harder to flow blood from vessels and that can result in the severe heart problems like heart attack, or stroke.

Causes of High Cholesterol

Your lifestyle, behavior, eating habits, and heredity play an important role in the level of cholesterol in your blood.

The combination of cholesterol and proteins is called lipoprotein. There are two types of cholesterol i.e. high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein.

• Low-Density Cholesterol: (LDL) it is bad cholesterol. It transports cholesterol throughout your body and builds up in the wall of arteries, makes it hard and narrow
• High-Density Cholesterol: (HDL) it is good cholesterol. It picks up excess cholesterol and leaves it to the liver again

LDL form in the body naturally. Too much unhealthy food and lack of exercise lead more formation of LDL cholesterol in your body and the condition results in High Cholesterol.

Main culprits for the high cholesterol are lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, bad eating habits, smoking, consumption of tobacco, and obesity/overweight.

Apart from the above factors, heredity can play an active role in the cause of High Cholesterol in your body.

In some cases, person inherits genes from parents or grandparents that cause high cholesterol, which is called familial hypercholesterolemia. This type of cholesterol can be dangerous and cause premature atherosclerotic heart disease. The intensity of familial hypercholesterolemia depends on the degree and duration of LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Diagnosis of High Cholesterol

To diagnose High cholesterol level in the blood, you need to check your blood. Perform blood test for cholesterol level. That specific blood test called a lipid panel or lipid profile. It gives reports on total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides i.e. type of fats in the blood.  For a better understanding of cholesterol level you can refer to the following data:

Note: Do not eat or drink for 9 to 12 hours before a blood test for accurate results.

Symptoms of High Cholesterol

Usually, the condition of High Cholesterol shows no symptoms; therefore it is important to check cholesterol level regularly. There are some rare symptoms occur when you have a high level of cholesterol in your blood as mentioned, chest pain or angina, heart attack, stroke, and pain while walking.

Xanthomas i.e. soft, yellowish lesions or growths on the skin can occur, which indicate cholesterol problem. Having diabetes or overweight can also be a sign of high cholesterol level. Sudden problem with an erection in men might be the sign of a rise in the level of high cholesterol.

Treatment for High Cholesterol

Atorvastatin is an active component used in the medication Lipitor that treats the condition of high cholesterol. Pfizer is the leading pharmaceutical company that manufactures this medicine. It reduces the amount of cholesterol made by the liver and lowers bad cholesterol and triglycerides.

Merck Sharp & Dohme, a trusted pharmaceutical manufactures has been offering a popular brand medicine Zetia. This medicine composed with active component Ezetimibe, which is approved for the treatment of an increased level of blood cholesterol. It acts by preventing the production of cholesterol by the liver. It minimizes blood cholesterol by lowering the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine.

This same active component is used in the Ezetrol to lower the increased cholesterol in the body. This drug has been manufactured by the leading pharmaceutical company, MSD Intl Gmbh. It is approved for the treatment of an increased level of blood cholesterol by preventing the production of cholesterol by the liver. It does not work for the absorption of triglycerides or fat-soluble vitamins. It reduces the amount of cholesterol the body absorbs from the diet. It may help to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

A combination of two main active components Ezetimibe-Simvastatin used to treat above condition. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp manufactures a popular brand medicine Vytorin with this combination of medications. It lowers blood cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol, such as dietary cholesterol, from the intestine and also reduces cholesterol by blocking an enzyme in the liver, which makes cholesterol.

USV Pharma

Tricor is a popular brand medication that acts by increasing the natural substance or enzyme that breaks down fats in the blood. Fenofibrate is a main active component in this medicine that belongs to a group of drugs known as “fibrates.” Due to lowering triglycerides in people with very high triglyceride blood levels may minimize the risk of pancreas disease.

Fluvastatin Sodium is one of the effective medicines for the treatment of high cholesterol. Novartis, is the fastest growing pharmaceutical company that offers the drug Lescol XL. This drug is a sodium salt of a synthetic lipid-lowering agent with potential antineoplastic activity. It inhibits hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme.

Gemfibrozil is the active component used in the medicine to treat the condition of high cholesterol. Lopid is the branded medicine manufactured by Pfizer Pharmaceutical company, which is the leading pharmaceutical company. It belongs to a group of drugs known as “fibrates.” It works by lowering the amount of fat produced by the liver.

Merck Sharp & Dohme a trusted pharmaceutical company that offers the popular medication for the treatment of high cholesterol. Lovastatin is an active ingredient used in this medicine. Mevacor is a drug belongs to a class of drugs known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. This medication acts by slowing the production of cholesterol in the body.

Livalo is a popular brand medicine that treats given condition. Pitavastatin Calcium is the main active component used in this medicine. Eli Lilly is a well-known pharmaceutical company that manufactures this drug. It is a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, which is also known as a statin drug. It blocks an enzyme known as HMG-CoA reductase that helps the cholesterol in the blood to a healthier level.

Rosuvastatin is active ingredient used to treat high cholesterol. Crestor is a branded medicine which is composed with this ingredient. IPR is a renowned pharmaceutical company that offers this drug. It acts by blocking enzymes in the liver that make cholesterol that lowers the levels of LDL cholesterol. It raises levels of HDL cholesterol in the body.

Merck Sharp Dohme, a leading pharmaceutical company that manufactures Zocor. Simvastatin is the main active component in this medicine. It belongs to a group of drugs known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. It works to reduce the cholesterol production in the body. It also reduces the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides moving through the body.

Actigall is a popular brand medicine that treats the condition of high cholesterol effectively. Ursodiol is an active ingredient used in this medication. Actavis Pharmaceutical is a trusted pharmaceutical company that offers this medicine. It blocks the enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol so as to decreases the production of cholesterol by the liver and the amount of cholesterol in bile.

Urso is one of the popular brand medicines that is used in the treatment of high cholesterol. Ursodiol is an active ingredient composed in this medicine. Impax is the well-known pharmaceutical company that offers this drug. It works by blocking the enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol so as to decreases the production of cholesterol by the liver and the amount of cholesterol in bile. It can be used to reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine.