Cholesterol

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a glistening, fat-like substance that is produced by your liver. For the development of cell membranes in the body, vitamin D, and a few hormones, cholesterol is essential. However, cholesterol does not dissolve in water or any other body fluids, which restricts its flow throughout the body.

The particles that aid the transport of cholesterol through the bloodstream are known as lipoproteins. In the body, there are two major types of lipoproteins.

LDL a.k.a low-density lipoproteins are the terrible and harmful kind of cholesterol that can be created in the arteries and lead to life-threatening health issues, including heart attack or stroke.

HDL a.k.a high-density lipoproteins, at times, referred to as the "good" cholesterol, assist in returning the low-density lipoproteins to the liver for elimination.

Consuming a lot of food containing high levels of fats raise the LDL cholesterol level in a person's body. This condition is known as high cholesterol.

Cholesterol Symptoms

Usually, High cholesterol does not cause or show any symptoms.

It causes emergency events, usually, in multiple cases. For example, a stroke or a heart attack can be caused as a result of high cholesterol.

However, these ailments do not transpire until high levels of cholesterol affluence the development of plaque in arteries. Usually, plaque formation narrows the passage of arteries and as a result of that less amount of blood can pass through. Changing the makeup of the arterial lining could cause serious difficulties.

The only way to ascertain if you have high cholesterol is through a blood test. A doctor may also recommend you to check your cholesterol levels more often in case you have a family history of high cholesterol.

Or if you exhibit the following risk factors:

• Have high blood pressure
• Overweight
• Smoke

Cholesterol Diagnosis

High cholesterol is easily diagnosable with a type of blood test called a lipid panel. To determine and verify the levels, the doctor will obtain a blood sample and send it to a lab for further analysis. You will be advised not to eat or drink for at least 12 hours before the blood test.

A lipid panel test calculates the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Following are the desirable levels:

• Triglycerides: less than 150 mg / dL
• High-density lipoprotein cholesterol: 60 mg / dL or higher.
• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: less than 100 mg / dL.

Cholesterol Treatment and Cost in India

Doctors and dieticians recommend lifestyle changes along with regular exercising and a healthy diet in case you are the at the first stage of defence against high cholesterol. However, if you have followed the recommended dietary and lifestyle changes and continue having high cholesterol levels, the doctor may prescribe medication.

The medication choice and combination primarily depends on personal risk factors, health, age, and side effects.

The usual medication choices include:

• Statins - Statins obstruct the matter required by your liver to produce cholesterol.
• Other popular medication choices comprise of fluvastatin (Lescol XL), lovastatin (Altoprev), atorvastatin (Lipitor), pravastatin (Pravachol), pitavastatin (Livalo), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor).
• Bile-acid-binding resins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, and injectable medications are also used for the treatment.
• Lipid test costs around Rs. 300-700 in Mumbai.

Health Insurance in India

A Health Insurance is a contract in which an insurance company accepts to offer cover for medical expenses of an insured due to illness or an emergency. Usually, Health Insurance firms have link-ups with the preeminent hospitals in the country to accommodate cashless treatment to the insured person in case of accident or illness listed in the policy document. Well, just in case, if the health insurance firm has no link-ups with the given hospital, the company reimburses the covered expenses incurred by the insured person in case of hospitalization.

Few Benefits of buying a health insurance package are:

The insured person gets cashless treatment at the hospitals that are linked to the  insurance company.

Many insurance policies also cover pre and post hospitalization cost.

Some insurance companies also provide health checkup options.

To sum it up, buying a health insurance policy is the best way to stay.

Most common diseases in India

Today’s hectic and restless lives have become a host to diseases. The rate at which the conditions are spreading in India is alarming. It is becoming impossible to stay away from them because of improper work-life balance.

Some of those diseases are:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Gastro-intestinal diseases
• Mental stress
• Tumour
• Digestive issues
• Respiratory problems