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 diastolic pressure reading
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Blood pressure
The bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure reading. It represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest.

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 Hypertension Systolic Diastolic
Diastolic pressure is the lower number in a blood pressure reading. But now in one of the largest studies to date, researchers have found that most middle

Blood Pressure
A systolic pressure of 120 to 139 mmHg or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 A single elevated blood pressure reading doesn't mean you have high blood

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 Monitoring at Home -- familydoctor.org
Look at the display window to see your blood pressure reading. The machine will show your systolic and diastolic blood pressures on the screen.

Measuring Blood Pressure, what the numbers mean.
High blood pressure can be a systolic reading of 140 or above, a diastolic reading of 90 or above, or both. For example, a reading of 150/85 mmHg is high

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) - Patient UK
A one-off blood pressure reading that is high does not mean that you have 'high . it is estimated that reducing a high diastolic blood pressure by 6 mmHg

Is Your Blood Pressure Too High?
If your systolic blood pressure readings are consistently greater than 140 mm Hg and/or your diastolic blood pressure readings are consistently greater than

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

Home Blood Pressure Test
The reading on the gauge when blood flow can no longer be heard is the diastolic pressure. Diastolic pressure represents the lowest blood pressure that


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