Questions about cholesterol? 以下是一些答案.

随着 新的指导方针 for treating and managing cholesterol, you may have some questions – not only about the changes in the update, but about cholesterol itself.

让我们首先承认，虽然胆固醇经常被谈论，但它很难理解.

You probably know that high cholesterol is bad. 然而, 你可能不知道，在确定什么是过高的时候，还有更大的问题要考虑. 换句话说, 同样的数字对你来说可能在正常范围内，但对你最好的朋友来说可能很高.

The only way to know your cholesterol situation and, 更重要的是, 怎么办呢, is by working with your health care provider. If a healthier lifestyle and/or treatment is needed, your provider will work with you to determine the best plan. 这一点很重要，因为胆固醇管理不善可能导致心脏病发作, stroke and other major health problems.

Below is essentially a brief Cholesterol Care 101 course, the basics needed to understand, treat and manage cholesterol. 答案是基于多年的科学研究和胆固醇专家的见解.

什么是胆固醇?

“首先, 重要的是人们要明白胆固醇本身并不是坏事,”医生说。. Robert Eckel, former president of the American Heart Association. “胆固醇是身体每个细胞表面的重要组成部分. 但在我们的血液中，我们不想要太多，而承载它的载体可能很重要."

Cholesterol is a waxy substance your body uses to build cells. Your liver makes all the cholesterol you need. 然而, 饮食中的胆固醇——你通过食物和一些饮料(如牛奶)摄入的那种——会导致你的肝脏向血液中输送更多的胆固醇.

胆固醇在血液中以高密度脂蛋白和低密度脂蛋白的形式携带. HDL cholesterol is "good" cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the "bad" kind. A simple rule of thumb is that you want as little of the bad kind as possible.

And that's where treatment is emphasized. 有害的胆固醇会聚集在动脉壁上，最终导致硬化和狭窄. This is atherosclerosis, which can be the basis of a heart attack or stroke.

Good cholesterol helps by removing the bad, although that's not easy to do. HDL can only help in the fight, not win it.

"HDL is not something we try to alter with medication. 预测风险很重要，但改变风险最好通过改变生活方式来实现,埃克尔说。, director of the Lipid Clinic at University of Colorado Hospital, and among the developers of the AHA's 检查. 改变. 控制. Cholesterol program to improve management of cholesterol. 他也是制定胆固醇指南的团队的一员，该指南于2013年发布，2018年11月刚刚更新.

你从你的医疗保健提供者那里得到的总胆固醇数据是基于高密度脂蛋白的, LDL and a third factor: triglycerides. 甘油三酯不仅在血液中循环，而且是体内最常见的脂肪类型.

高甘油三酯水平加上高低密度脂蛋白或低高密度脂蛋白胆固醇与动脉壁内脂肪堆积有关，从而增加心脏病发作和中风的风险.

What do cholesterol numbers mean?

Cholesterol numbers mean different things for each person's situation.

Based on your personal risk, 当你和你的医疗保健提供者讨论下一步该怎么做时，你的胆固醇测量将被考虑在内.

“决定每个人的最佳水平有很多因素. 例如, someone in their 40s and 50s the LDL cholesterol may be slightly elevated, but the person might have no other risk factors,埃克尔说.

Dr. Scott M. 心胸狭窄的人, chairman of the writing committee for the new cholesterol guidelines, notes that when doctors are working out an action plan with their patients, 他们应该考虑一个人的“风险增加因素”，比如家族史, kidney disease or other personal scenarios.

这些都很重要,格伦迪说。, 他是德克萨斯大学西南医学中心和达拉斯退伍军人事务医学中心的内科教授. “患者应该意识到这些，并努力决定如何与医生一起思考这些问题."

How is elevated or high cholesterol treated?

Treatment comes in two forms: lifestyle changes and medication.

"We always want people to start with making lifestyle changes,埃克尔说. "That means eating a diet low in saturated fat and trans fats, and enriched with fruits and vegetables, 全谷物, 豆类, 瘦肉, 鱼和坚果. Another lifestyle change is being physically more active."

如果这听起来像是一个减肥和保持体重的计划，这正是关键所在. 健康的体重有助于降低低密度脂蛋白水平，并帮助胆固醇水平正常的人保持这种状态.

有时，饮食和锻炼本身就足以让数字进入舒适区. 有时，他们不是. 对于这些人, 下一个选择通常是服用一种叫做他汀类药物的降胆固醇药物.

"This is a very well-proven, evidence-based option,埃克尔说. "A lot of clinical trials strongly support taking statins."

同样，你的医疗保健提供者起着关键作用，决定最适合你的类型和剂量. 在某些情况下, 医生可能会给你开他汀类药物以外的其他药物, such as ezetimibe or a PCSK9 inhibitor.

“降低胆固醇计划的好处是，你可以很快看到变化,埃克尔说, 注意到胆固醇水平可以在饮食改变或药物治疗的几周内改善.

查看更多沙巴足球体育平台 科学会议.

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email (电子邮件保护).