Blood Lipid Levels and High Blood Pressure
Many people with high blood pressure also have high blood lipid levels. To understand the connection, one must take a closer look at blood lipid levels and their effects.
Blood lipid levels include cholesterol and triglycerides. Cholesterol is divided into HDL and LDL cholesterol. Fats (lipids) are not water-soluble, meaning they do not dissolve in blood but are transported in the blood bound to protein molecules (proteins). This is how the term lipoprotein comes about.
HDL Cholesterol
HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein. HDL cholesterol is the smallest type of lipoprotein found in the body. It contains about 25 percent of the total cholesterol. Its role is to absorb excess cholesterol from body cells and transport it to the liver. Thus, HDL cholesterol protects against arterial calcification (atherosclerosis) and is therefore referred to as the good cholesterol.
HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein. HDL cholesterol is the smallest type of lipoprotein found in the body. It contains about 25 percent of the total cholesterol. Its role is to absorb excess cholesterol from body cells and transport it to the liver. Thus, HDL cholesterol protects against arterial calcification (atherosclerosis) and is therefore referred to as the good cholesterol.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL stands for Low Density Lipoprotein. LDL is the most important transport medium for cholesterol in the blood. It transports cholesterol to body cells. LDL is considered the greatest risk factor for arterial calcification (atherosclerosis).
LDL stands for Low Density Lipoprotein. LDL is the most important transport medium for cholesterol in the blood. It transports cholesterol to body cells. LDL is considered the greatest risk factor for arterial calcification (atherosclerosis).
Triglycerides
Triglycerides are blood fats that consist of one glycerin molecule and three fatty acids. Elevated triglyceride levels, in conjunction with low HDL levels, pose a risk for atherosclerosis.
Triglycerides are blood fats that consist of one glycerin molecule and three fatty acids. Elevated triglyceride levels, in conjunction with low HDL levels, pose a risk for atherosclerosis.
A balanced ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids also helps keep blood lipid levels and blood pressure within a healthy range.
Hydrogenated plant fats should be avoided just like animal fats, as they also negatively affect blood lipid levels.
Sources
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-74518-8_2
- https://www.endokrinologie.net/pressemitteilung/erbliche-fettstoffwechselstoerung.php
- http://www.lipid-liga.de/wp-content/uploads/1007_Patientenratgeber_Fettstoffwechselstörungen-1.pdf
- https://www.msdmanuals.com/de-de/heim/hormon-und-stoffwechselerkrankungen/erkrankungen-des-cholesterinstoffwechsels/dyslipidämie
This article is from BloodPressureDB the leading app since 2011 that supports hundreds of thousands in blood pressure monitoring every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 04/2024).
Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has been leading the editorial team of BloodPressureDB since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has been leading the editorial team of BloodPressureDB since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
