Frequently Ask Questions about Cholesterol

May 14th, 2010

What is the origin of the cholesterol?

Most of the cholesterol in our agency is produced by the liver, but also comes from some foods such as eggs, meat and dairy products integers.

What makes the cholesterol is either good or bad for health?

The cholesterol travels through the bloodstream wrapped in a few particles called lipoproteins of which there are two types: LDL (which gives rise to the so-called bad cholesterol) and HDL (which form the good cholesterol). The LDL cholesterol is considered bad because it was deposited in the wall of the arteries and form the plates of atheroma. The HDL cholesterol is considered good because carries excess cholesterol again to the liver for that is destroyed.

What are the triglycerides?

The triglycerides come mostly from the fat digestion of food, but also so produced in part by the liver, and are the main type of fat that carries the body. Constitute an important source of energy and, as the cholesterol tend to increase with age and/or the overweight. The normal value is up to 150 mg/dl. The accumulation of larger amounts, coupled with high cholesterol levels, can greatly increase the risk of heart disease.

Can I leave the medication when i regulating the cholesterol level?

In general, these medicines help reduce levels of bad cholesterol, increasing levels of good cholesterol and delaying the formation of plates of atheroma in arteries, i.e. “cleaned the arteries making them more elastic”. The proof that the medication is fulfilling its role is that the levels of cholesterol -the bad, the good and the total- be regularized, with what the heart will be protected. By this is important not to interrupt the treatment or modify without the consent of the doctor, because to do so could become the initial values.

How harmful LDL cholesterol to my health?

The excess cholesterol can be placed inside the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The accumulation of cholesterol inside the arteries -known as plate of atheroma- will them to narrow, which is what is called atherosclerosis, and that can reach out to completely block the artery, so that the blood will not achieve flowing through it. If the blockade occurs in the coronary artery, which is the supplies blood to the muscles into the heart, could cause a heart attack, and if the artery that supplies blood to the brain is blocked, there could be a stroke.

Will I have muscle aches and pains if i take medicines for cholesterol?

It is rare that appear, but if note muscle pain, weakness or cramps without apparent cause must warn your doctor.

What if I forget a takes the medicine?

If you forget a dose take as soon as of account, unless it is next the next take. Never take the double of the prescribed dose.

Why should I keep physically active?

The regular physical activity average can reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension, total cholesterol high, high levels of LDL (bad) and low levels of HDL (good), overweight, obesity and diabetes.

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To Cope with The Cholesterol

May 13th, 2010

A proper diet, EXERCISE AND QUITTING SMOKING ARE KEY TO COMBAT THE CHOLESTEROL

THE INCREASE OF CHOLESTEROL DOES NOT NORMALLY signs or symptoms but can be detected WITH A SIMPLE Blood test

Cholesterol is a substance natural fat that is present in all the cells of the body and is needed to form tissues cellular, produce certain hormones and facilitate digestion of fats. Despite the fact that the cholesterol is necessary for our agency, too much in the blood increases the risk of suffering a heart attack or a stroke.

The increase of cholesterol does not normally signs or symptoms, tends to grow with age and is more likely in patients with family background, overweight or abusing foods rich in fat, which a simple analytical blood is the key to detect cholesterol levels and set a proper treatment.

With the aim to raise awareness of all of the importance of preventing the high cholesterol levels, the Spanish Society of Community Pharmacy (SEFAC) has developed a set of recommendations based mainly on changes in the style of life, as a proper diet, exercise and quitting smoking are the most effective measures to lower cholesterol.

Recommendations

» Follow a varied diet, with plenty of cereals, fruits and vegetables.

» Reduces the overweight. It has been demonstrated that the obese people have increased risk of strokes and arterial blockages that the population not obese.

» Decrease consumption of eggs (maximum two three per week), whole milk and derivatives (ice cream, cream, butter, yogurt, whole fatty cheese).

» Adjust the consumption of red meat to two days a week and chicken, turkey without skin or rabbit to two or three days a week, and never in excess of the 200 grams.

» Enter in your diet the white fish and, in particular, the blue (sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, salmon, etc. )

» Avoid in possible fried and stews and cook preferably to the plate or coals, removing the visible fat from meat before cooking.

» Use salt with restraint. The excess sodium is very damaging to the heart and arteries.

» Avoid the consumption of products of cakes, fried and precooked, rich in saturated fatty acids that harm health.

» Controlling the consumption of alcohol. In adults is acceptable to two glasses of wine a day, but alcohol in general is discouraged in overweight people, pregnant women and patients with high levels of triglycerides.

» Seek to make physical exercise aerobic (walking, running soft, cycling, swimming) to moderate intensity (65-70 percent of Frequency heart maxim) from three to five times a week. This habit increases HDL (good cholesterol) and reduces LDL (bad cholesterol) and the levels of triglycerides.

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Combat Spring Allergy

May 6th, 2010

The experts predict a spring “intense” for the allergic to pollen of grasses, because their presence in the air almost double with regard to 2009, due to heavy rains in the early this year.

The coordinator of the Committee of Aerobiology of Spanish Society of Clinical Immunology (29.05.2005), Javier Subiza, pointed to the media that the concentrations accumulated pollen of grasses, which appear in April, May, June and July, exceed 5,100 grains per cubic meter of air, compared to 2,800 in 2009.

The doctor explained that climate change them has something dragnet, because, despite an experience of 30 years in the measurement of pollens, the last eight have been totally atypical.

How To cope with the allergy?

Millions of people suffer from allergies during this season caused mainly by exposure to pollen and mold, and whose symptoms, which include respiratory problems, skin reactions and the light, can be very serious if not treated in time.

“The most important is that people who suffer from this type of allergies are prepared in advance and not wait until the symptoms you out of control,” said Russell B. Leftwich, physician and expert of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAI).

According to the specialist, one of the most common mistakes with regard to this type of allergies is usually the people who suffer from attending the doctor until when symptoms are very strong. “The worst of wait until the allergy progress is that the treatments do not work so well when symptoms are well advanced, as do when they are starting,” said Leftwich.

Heavy rains of this winter will be responsible until the end of May or early june eleven concentrations of pollen from grass to the 5,100 grains per cubic meter.

10 Tips to combat the spring allergy

There are ten tips fundamental to be followed by six million spaniards allergic to pollen:

1. Do not open the windows of your house to vent. Instead, usa humidifiers to renew the air in the house.

2. The allergies can also affect the driving, for that reason and to prevent accidents rises the windows and install filters in the system of air conditioning.

3. Avoids the hours of greater pollination: during the early hours of the morning and evening.

4. The personal hygiene and cleanliness in the clothing is essential. Although a simple view does not view, the costumes or the hair contain a high high amount of pollen. Avoids in turn clothes in the outside of your house.

5. Factors such as smoke or tobacco are harmful to the allergic, as well as sprays or insecticides, which increase the symptoms dramatically.

6. Protects your eyes and wear sunglasses to exit to the streets to reduce the itchy eyes.

7. The sport increase the fatigue, so it is important avoided in the days of greater pollination.

8. Some foods help fight the allergy: the apple, carrot, onion, brown rice or spinach are an example of them. Avoid dairy products, the bread or pasta.

9. Follow a proper treatment is essential. The taking of antihistamines relieve symptoms of the allergy, but the recommendations of the doctor before the intake of drugs is basic to avoid drowsiness and other side effects.

10. Aware of the indices of pollination will, in the extent possible, enjoy a holiday dates with greater concentration of pollen in places where the density is smaller.

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The Time of The First Cigarette of The Day Does Matter

April 29th, 2010

How many minutes pass from that rises until it smokes his first cigarette? A group of scientists says it is not the same turn to the five to 60 minutes. According to the results of their study, published in ‘Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention’,the levels of nicotine to be ingested in the first case are twice as if it looks a little to be given to this habit.

The work shows that tobacco consumption in the first five minutes of the day increases the nicotine in blood until the 437 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml.); between six and 30 minutes, 352 ng/mL; and after one hour, 215 ng/ml.

Researchers found that the “people who ate tobacco during the first 30 minutes of the day and who smoked 10 cigars newspapers had higher levels of nicotine that those who ate 20 and were beginning from the first half hour”. So explains the main author of the work, Joshua Muscat, professor at the College of Medicine The University Penn State (Pennsylvania).

With this study, confirmed the scientists in his article, “show that not only the number of cigarettes that are consumed in the day is related to the levels of nicotine, also influences the time that passes from that a person wakes up to smoke the first cigar”.

The finding is important because, as indicated by the researchers, “taking into account the partnership between nicotine and the risk of lung cancer, the people who smoke shortly after lifted are more susceptible to suffered, so this indicator is particularly relevant to the time to design a plan of intervention”.

“Today, is one of the parameters that the therapists take into account in determining the most effective treatment to prevent possible failures in the abandonment of tobacco,” argues Maria Angeles Planchuelo, president of the National Committee of Prevention to Smoking, who also points out that “it is also consider other how many cigarettes are consumed daily, where…” Together with the biological characteristics of each individual, help to make a full story of smokers, essential to make the individualized treatment.
The investigation

To reach the previous conclusions, the researchers measured levels of nicotine in blood and urine for a total of 252 people who smoked at least five cigarettes a day for a minimum of two years. The measures among the subjects who consumed an average of 20 cigars newspapers ranged between 16 and the 1,180 nanograms per milliliter.

Among the participants were distinguished two groups: low and high addiction. The first not smoked more than 20 cigarettes and expected to turn on the first from the 30 minutes to wake up. The second consumed tobacco before the first half hour, regardless of the cigars consumed.

In the increased levels of nicotine that occurs with the first cigar in the morning there is an element that plays its particular role. According to Maria Angeles Planchuelo, “normally, by the night do not smoke and the measures of nicotine fall. For this reason, with the first cigars are produces the greatest peak of the day, which then will remain or not as smoke”.

Although the experts admit that even further studies are needed to confirm their findings, they insist that the moment in which you smoke the first cigar could be an important risk factor of lung cancer and, therefore, should consider in programs to stop smoking.

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