High cholesterol is a serious condition that needs to be managed effectively to prevent complications like heart disease and stroke. According to the NHS, up to two in five people have high cholesterol levels, putting them at risk of potentially fatal conditions.
You may be one of those people and not even realise it because high cholesterol usually presents without any noticeable symptoms. Often the only way to know you have high cholesterol is by specifically testing for it. If you’re concerned about your cholesterol levels, you can get reliable and affordable private cholesterol blood tests in Northolt and Northampton from Touchwood Pharmacy.
What Causes High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is produced by your liver and is a type of fat found in your blood. Cholesterol can also be found in certain types of food and drinks.
Everyone needs a certain level of cholesterol in their bloodstream to keep everything functioning as it should, but having too much of it can lead to health problems in the future. Too much cholesterol in your blood can clog your arteries, making it difficult for your blood to flow throughout your body.
Over time, this fatty substance can turn into hardened plaque, making your arteries narrower and stiffer. Narrow arteries put a big strain on your heart because it has to work even harder to pump your blood. This extra work eventually weakens your heart.
Blood clots can also form over the plaque, completely blocking off the artery and blood flow, leading to heart attack or stroke.
Causes of high cholesterol include:
- A poor diet that’s high in saturated fats
- Smoking cigarettes
- Being over the age of 40
- Not getting enough exercise
- Being male
- Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
- Being overweight
- A family history of high cholesterol
- Stress
- Health conditions like type 2 diabetes, an underactive thyroid, and kidney disease
High Cholesterol Testing
A simple blood test can detect whether you have high cholesterol or if you are at risk of developing it. Your local Touchwood Pharmacy offers convenient and accessible appointments for a wide range of tests including cholesterol testing.
Treating and preventing high cholesterol usually involves simple lifestyle changes, taking medication, or a combination of both.
Take charge of your health today by booking an appointment online for private blood tests, private cholesterol blood tests, private diabetes blood tests, and private thyroid blood tests in Lichfield from Touchwood Pharmacy.
