How can high cholesterol cause heart attacks even in thin people?
Most of us have a certain perception in our minds that heart attacks are only suffered by fat, overweight middle-aged people who do not exercise and eat fried foods. High cholesterol can cause heart attacks even in thin people, says cardiologist.
Renowned cardiologist Dr. Oliver Guttman says that this perception can be dangerously wrong. According to him, high cholesterol is a major and dangerous cause of heart disease, and it can affect even people who appear thin, fit, and healthy.
He said that while unhealthy habits such as eating a high-fat diet, drinking too much alcohol, and avoiding exercise increase the risk of a heart attack, he stressed that body composition alone cannot fully predict it.
Weight alone does not affect cholesterol. Genetics, diet, age, and physical activity all affect cholesterol levels. The problem is that high cholesterol often does not show any symptoms until it is too late. High cholesterol is often called the silent killer because it increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
It should be noted that high cholesterol, which is the leading cause of death and disability in the UK and kills around 170,000 people every year, In this regard, Dr. Guttman said that it is first important to understand what cholesterol is. It is a fat-like substance called a lipid and is found in every cell of the body. Not all cholesterol is harmful.
HDL cholesterol, known as good cholesterol, carries excess cholesterol in the blood to the liver, where it is broken down. But bad LDL cholesterol works differently. It builds up in the walls of arteries, narrowing the blood vessels and increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. If HDL levels are low, this bad cholesterol can build up more easily.
According to Dr. Guttman, the total cholesterol number alone does not tell the whole picture. In fact, two people may have the same total cholesterol, but their risk of heart disease may be different. It depends on the balance of good and bad cholesterol. Other factors such as blood pressure, age, smoking, diabetes, and family history are also considered. So it’s not enough to focus on just one number.
He said many people think that if they are lean and active, they don’t need to worry about cholesterol, but this thinking can be wrong and dangerous. Being lean is no guarantee that your cholesterol is healthy. Cholesterol is affected by many factors, not just weight.
