What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a sterol (a combination steroid and alcohol). Cholesterol is a lipid found in the cell membranes of all tissues, and it is transported in the blood plasma of all animals. Because cholesterol is synthesized by all eukaryotes, trace amounts of cholesterol are also found in membranes of plants and fungi.The name originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid), and the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, as researchers first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones by Francois Poulletier de la Salle in 1769. However, it is only in 1815 that chemist Eugene Chevreul named the compound "cholesterine".[2]Most of the cholesterol is synthesized by the body and some has dietary origin. Cholesterol is more abundant in tissues which either synthesize more or have more abundant densely-packed membranes, for example, the liver, spinal cord and brain. It plays a central role in many biochemical processes, such as the composition of cell membranes and the synthesis of steroid hormones. Cholesterol is insoluble in blood, but is transported in the circulatory system bound to one of the varieties of lipoprotein, spherical particles which have an exterior composed mainly of water-soluble proteins. The main types, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) carry cholesterol from and to the liver.According to the lipid hypothesis, abnormally high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) and abnormal proportions of LDL and HDL are associated with cardiovascular disease by promoting atheroma development in arteries (atherosclerosis). This disease process leads to myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke and peripheral vascular disease. As high LDL contributes to this process, it is termed "bad cholesterol", while high levels of HDL ("good cholesterol") offer a degree of protection. The balance can be redressed with exercise, a healthy diet, and sometimes medication.

blood pressure reading diastolic systolic
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SYSTOLIC/DIASTOLIC
You have two blood pressures: the systolic that measures blood pressure when your heart contracts, and the much lower diastolic reading that measures the

High blood pressure
Blood pressure readings in the prehypertension category (120-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic) indicate an increased risk for developing hypertension.

Systolic -- Not Diastolic -- Blood-Pressure Reading Should Define
Systolic blood pressure, the first -- or higher -- number in a blood-pressure reading, is the important factor in determining whether a person has

Blood pressure - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The values of systolic and diastolic pressure are computed, not actually measured . For blood pressure readings taken with a home monitoring device to be

Blood pressure
Diastolic blood pressure; Systolic blood pressure The second number is the diastolic blood pressure reading, and it represents the pressure in the

Translating Blood Pressure Numbers
A systolic pressure of 130 to 139 or a diastolic pressure of 85 to 89 needs to be watched carefully. A blood pressure reading equal to or greater than 140

Blood Pressure Hypertension Systolic Diastolic
Diastolic pressure is the lower number in a blood pressure reading. High blood pressure is defined as having a systolic blood pressure of 140mm Hg or

MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Blood pressure
The bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure reading. In adults, the systolic pressure should be less than 120 mmHg and the diastolic pressure

What Are High Blood Pressure and Prehypertension?
It is shown as the top number in a blood pressure reading. High blood pressure is 140 and higher for systolic pressure. Diastolic pressure does not need to

Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure refers to the pressure of It is the top (and higher) number in a blood pressure reading.

What is blood pressure?
Learn what is considered a normal blood pressure reading. High Blood Pressure, Systolic, Diastolic. Stage 1, 140-159, 90-99


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