News tagged with cholesterol
Whole walnuts and their extracted oil improve cardiovascular disease risk
(Medical Xpress)—Consumption of whole walnuts or their extracted oil can reduce cardiovascular risk through a mechanism other than simply lowering cholesterol, according to a team of Penn State, Tufts University ...
Health
May 08, 2013 |
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Low HDL-cholesterol—Not quantity, but quality
Many of the genes regulating the inflammation and immune response of the body are also associated with low HDL-cholesterol levels in the circulation, tells the recent study conducted at the University of ...
Cardiology
Apr 30, 2013 |
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Estrogen levels tied to risk for sudden cardiac death in study
(HealthDay)—Higher levels of the hormone estrogen are associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in men and women, a new study suggests.
Cardiology
May 11, 2013 |
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Four genes indentified that influence levels of 'bad' cholesterol
Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio have identified four genes in baboons that influence levels of "bad" cholesterol. This discovery could lead to the development of new drugs to reduce the ...
Medical research
May 15, 2013 |
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Seven simple lifestyle steps may decrease risk of blood clots
Blood clots in the legs or lungs (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) kill an American about every 5 minutes. Adopting seven simple lifestyle steps could help reduce your risk of these potentially deadly blood clots, ...
Cardiology
May 02, 2013 |
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Increases in heart disease risk factors may decrease brain function
Brain function in adults as young as 35 may decline as their heart disease risk factors increase, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Cardiology
May 02, 2013 |
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Study finds health insurance helps lower-income Americans avoid depression, diabetes, major financial shocks
Enrollment in Medicaid helps lower-income Americans overcome depression, get proper treatment for diabetes, and avoid catastrophic medical bills, but does not appear to reduce the prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure ...
Health
May 03, 2013 |
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Work-related stress linked to increased blood fat levels
Spanish researchers have studied how job stress affects cardiovascular health. The results, published in the 'Scandinavian Journal of Public Health', link this situation to dyslipidemia, a disorder that a ...
Health
May 16, 2013 |
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LDL cholesterol is a poor marker of heart health in patients with kidney disease
LDL cholesterol is not a useful marker of heart disease risk in patients with kidney disease, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The finding sugges ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
May 16, 2013 |
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New mechanism to prevent type 2 diabetes in obese individuals
A new Montréal study conducted by Dr. May Faraj, associate research professor at the Université de Montréal and invited scientist at the IRCM, along with her research team and medical collaborators, shows ...
Medical research
May 17, 2013 |
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Heart-healthy diet helps men lower bad cholesterol, regardless of weight loss
A heart-healthy diet helped men at high risk for heart disease reduce their bad cholesterol, regardless of whether they lost weight, in a study presented at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and ...
Cardiology
May 01, 2013 |
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Study: Fish oil's work vs. heart attacks limited
Eating fish is good for your heart, but taking fish oil capsules does not help people at high risk of heart problems who are already taking medicines to prevent them, a large study in Italy found.
Cardiology
May 08, 2013 |
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Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a lipidic, waxy steroid found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals, but small quantities are synthesized in other eukaryotes, such as plants and fungi. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes, which include bacteria. Cholesterol is classified as a sterol.
Since cholesterol is essential for life, it is primarily synthesized de novo within the body. However excessive levels of cholesterol in blood circulation are strongly associated with progression of atherosclerosis. For an adult, typical total body cholesterol synthesis is about 1 gram per day (less if dietary intake is high) and total body cholesterol content is about 35 g. Average dietary intake in western societies is 0.2 - 0.3 grams. Cholesterol is excreted by the liver via the bile into the digestive tract. Typically about 50% of the excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed by the small bowel back into the blood stream.
The name cholesterol originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid), and the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, as François Poulletier de la Salle first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones, in 1769. However, it was only in 1815 that chemist Eugène Chevreul named the compound "cholesterine".
For more information about Cholesterol, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
