,L.momraic
CHOLESTEROL
IS NOT A
MONSTER
Most people
would
relate
coronar-
ies
closely
with
cholesterol, thinking that
cholesterol
is like a
monster
to
the
body.
ln fact, there
are different types
of
cholesterol. Those
with
high levels of
total cholesterol and low-density lipo-
protein (LDL) are really associated with
higher risks
of
developing coronaries;
the same goes for
high
total cholesterol
together with low levels of high density
lipo-protein
(HDL). When
the
coronar-
ies that supply
blood
to the
heart
muscles become blocked (mainly
by
LDL
cholesterol deposits), the patient
may have
chest pain on
exertion
(angina), death
of
heart
muscle
(myocardial infarct) or sudden death,
depending
of the
severity
of
the
obstruction. However, HDL cholesterol
more like
a
"scavenger" of
cholesterol
deposits and is therefore
beneficial.
According
to
evidence-based medicine,
lowering
blood levels of
total cholesterol
and
LDL would only reduce coronaries
by
only 30-35%, i.e., about
213
ot
pa-
tients
still
would
have coronaries.
However, by raising
the
level
of
HDL
without lowering the level of LDL, coro-
nary incidents are already lowered
by
22"/".This is encouraging,
as future
strategy would be
to
lower both total
cholesterol and LDL coupled
with
rais-
ing HDL
-
the preferred approach. As
cholesterol
is also
required
lor
cell
structure, regulation
of
the
physiology
of cell function as well as the precursor
of steroids and bile, how can we say
that
cholesterols
are
monsters?
Bg
+MNF
Ft,ATEHIFffi
,
b+
Vr
*ft.
4,
*
I
a*
H.,
ffi *,ti#,m.
EftHatrN@ffi|bffi81+Hffi
,
EhmnFfibx*
,
Hthfr?&
^
"
+ffi
Ef
;H jfu
flF+F+Ffi[iFfrH
IAtrE*
(rCI
.,fE&trEFtrFfiF
trEF
(ror-cl
.HiH=EH
(TG)
fiHfftrflFtrEfiFEg+
(HDL-C)
4+trtl4.dX4l'
"
iE,EtEifi?r
ffieffiAflffiFffif;;#T,H+
TG
f,r
LDL-C
jgHrEHE?l*gEi
flRffitt#48-1?.fi
ffi,1'ffi
H!
+
tr+,iE
E-
, H
rc
+EHI+a
HDL-C
P+'fE
WI
dt.HfrlL,'ffiilJ
n
HB+,
E
Hfitrc
lBHm
HDL-C
EH
'
FU
T
-
E_11
ffigr
trk
ltrg
ffi.np.tv.
"
ttu,
9l
,
rc
E,f+ffiA€gAE€trtEg
*{RZ-
"
^rlart?/llE-,
HDL-cp€
I&Dllfrgffi
,1.ffi
'
EEffi
,L'fr
&
nfe,Fh.B
T
.
FIH
H
6'f€6'gE
I
ruffi,L'ffi
'
_E
FEffiiatr,L.ffi
I
€
4€fiFtrs+tEH
lt+t tffit
zh
"
ElrL'
ThEfr,EH
+EflgtrE+jg
+ts84F5
tr+T
*tU€
n
FI4x
ft
"
mEilHffi€,.*,
S+/cffist
-
fEtE
E,
D.,6'
,\'f
FS
iTfu€
fS.
FlJ
ffi tr
E'
ft
;-ff1$
fl
WJ
Hffifg.E
ffi
ft
Hffi
r?FE'
m;& +
eE-iEE#f,ffi
tr
F
(F-Emi
rc
)
fr,fft
gtrfiHtr
E
ffi
tr
E
(
LDL-C )
E
E
I
TqE,t.JFf!
REgtr
h
tr
*
"
Eft
TEHAflgfiFtr
EHFTEHzKtrf;Hi
'
RtrE##,ffi
,HHtrE_fE-#fi4
'
TG
.
LDL-C
iEEHf*T*+
,
lEAffiATACfrHffitrF
' trHffitrEE*E
FI,iBI32T'
tbE+EFI*EBEHHIEP
WH., 3
XEAFI6Effi
trE)ET*
.
E)tMfrffit*
o
HtEfHH
.
EtL'
€elt€€-iEEffitrEE#Ct+8ft
p_
|
,v"E)*#r&€?+ffitr8
,
gfflFtrEHtrhlaF.HEffi-=#.fH
"
56
