BCHS physician to speak on cholesterol and heart disease
High blood cholesterol can affect anyone. It is a serious condition that increases the risk for heart disease, the number one killer in the U.S. of both women and men; the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk.
Dr. Paul Miluk, a cardiologist will discuss heart disease in the scope of prevention and current approaches in treatment at a 'lunch and learn' session on Wednesday, February 27 at Burnham Brook. Senior Health Partners in coordination with Battle Creek Health System presents the program, which is free to the public.
A light luncheon will be served at 11:30 a.m. followed by Dr. Miluk's presentation at noon. Seating is limited. Calling Senior Health Partners at (269) 441-0948 can make reservations.
"Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the walls of cells in all parts of the body, from the nervous system to the liver to the heart," says Dr. Miluk. "The body uses cholesterol to make hormones, bile acids, vitamin D, and other substances."
The body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream but cannot travel by itself. As with oil and water, cholesterol (which is fatty) and blood (which is watery) do not mix. So cholesterol travels in packages called lipoproteins,
which have fat (lipid) inside and protein outside.
There are two main kinds of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol in the blood these being
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Low-density lipoprotein is also called the 'bad' cholesterol because it carries cholesterol to tissues, including the arteries. Most of the cholesterol in the blood is the LDL form. The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood, the greater your risk for heart disease.
High-density lipoprotein is considered the good' cholesterol because it takes cholesterol from tissues to the liver, which removes it from the body. A low level of HDL cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease. If there is too much cholesterol in the blood, some of the excess can become trapped in artery walls. Over time, this builds up and is called plaque. The plaque can narrow vessels and make them less flexible, a condition called atherosclerosis or 'hardening of the arteries.'
Because high blood cholesterol affects the coronary arteries, it is a major risk factor for heart disease. Heart disease risk factors are causes and conditions that increase your chance of developing a disease. For heart disease, there are two types of risk factors - those you can't change and those you can. Fortunately, most of the heart disease risk factors can be changed. Anyone can develop high blood cholesterol and everyone can take steps to lower it.
"New studies regarding the various cholesterol reducing medications have brought forth the need to review with patients on what is the best approach in medication management," says Dr. Miluk. "There is also the confusion regarding what is the right approach in treatment when the patient is systematic. Is it cardiac bypass surgery or coronary dilation and stenting? I look forward to covering both of these topics during my presentation."
If you have high blood cholesterol, there are steps you can take to lower it and protect your health. These include therapeutic lifestyle changes, which incorporates diet, physical activity, and weight management. Sometimes, drug treatment also is needed to lower blood cholesterol in combination with these lifestyle changes.
Senior Health Partners, a collaboration of Battle Creek Health System, Burnham Brook Center, and Summit Pointe, works to expand wellness and educational offerings to senior citizens in Calhoun and surrounding counties. For more information about senior programs, visit the Burnham Brook web site at http://www.burnhambrook.com , or call (269) 441-0948.
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