Cholesterol is a fatty substance (lipid) that is part of the outer membrane of cells in the animal body. It is also found in human blood circulation. Two main sources of cholesterol in the blood obtained from the diet and liver production.
Cholesterol diet comes from meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. After a meal, cholesterol is absorbed by the intestine into the bloodstream and is covered by protein. Cholesterol-coated protein called chylomicron ni.
Liver to remove cholesterol from the blood circulation and also produce cholesterol and secrete cholesterol into the bloodstream. After eating, the liver remove chylomicron from blood circulation. In between meals, the liver produces and secretes cholesterol back into the bloodstream.
Bad Cholesterol, Good Cholesterol
Cholesterol can not dissolve in the blood unless it is joined by special proteins called lipoproteins. Cholesterol is secreted by the liver into the blood may be joined with a very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) or high density lipoprotein (HDL).
LDL cholesterol levels resulting from the metabolism of VLDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, cholesterol is known as 'bad' cholesterol, while HDL is known as good cholesterol.
How Heart Attacks Can Happen?
An individual is exposed to a heart attack when he had a higher LDL cholesterol from HDL cholesterol.
Lipoprotein LDL cholesterol causes inherent in the artery wall, causing the formation of hard and thick material called cholesterol plaque. Over time, cholesterol plaque causes the artery walls thicken and narrow the arteries, a process called atherosclerosis.
Coronary arteries supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. When coronary artery narrowing caused by atherosclerosis, it is not able to supply enough blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. Lack of oxygen to the heart muscle causes chest pain, as well as pieces of blood in the arteries causing blockage of the channel leading to the death of heart muscle (heart attack).
HDL cholesterol particles prevent atherosclerosis by withdrawing the cholesterol from artery walls and remove the liver for disposal via the bile. It will also interfere with cholesterol accumulation in the artery wall by LDL particles.
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