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 standard
Food Standards Agency - Eat well, be well - Blood pressure
Some people have low blood pressure and many people have normal blood pressure, but millions of people in the UK have high blood pressure, which increases

High blood pressure (hypertension)
Because the height of a mercury column is used in blood pressure gauges, standard blood pressure readings are always written as so many â˜millimetres of

Blood Pressure Monitors - machines for home use.
The Association is working with the Department of Health and the British Standards Institute to try and ensure that all blood pressure monitors are tested

Here and Now : 5/15/2003
High Blood Pressure Standard Adjusted A new report from federal health authorities indicates that millions of Americans with blood pressure levels

Discovery Health :: High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure Standard Redefined. AFP. May 14, 2003 â” American health experts have redefined "normal" blood pressure for persons over 50,

ABC of hypertension: Blood pressure measurement -- O'Brien et al
There are two published standards for the evaluation of blood pressure measuring devices --- the American Association for the Advancement of Medical

Blood Pressure Monitors: advice on accurate blood pressure monitors
The Blood Pressure Association is represented on government committees to extend and update the standards used to measure the accuracy of blood pressure

Monitoring Your Blood Pressure
The electronic digital type is easiest to use but you may want to learn to use the standard blood pressure cuff with separate stethoscope.

Hypertension: In blood pressure reduction, below standard is good
In people who took medicine to lower blood pressure, those whose blood pressure was reduced to lower than the standard goal also reduced artery stiffness.

Blood Pressure Readings
A complete explanation of Blood Pressure Readings including risks, what to expect and You can do this with a standard blood pressure kit or monitor,

OMRON Healthcare, INC.- What are the standard Blood Pressure
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) jointly developed the following blood pressure classification.


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