Drugs
Fibrates are drugs that serve to reduce triglycerides. They increase the activity of lipoprotein lipase and at the same time reduce the concentration of apolipoprotein C III, thereby greatly lowering triglyceride levels. Statins are currently the most effective drugs for lowering cholesterol levels.
Statins inhibit the HMG- CoA- reductase and thereby lower the body’s own cholesterol synthesis. Due to the significantly lower synthesis, the body absorbs the LDL cholesterol from the blood in order to use it for the formation of steroid hormones. Thus the total cholesterol level and the LDL cholesterol are reduced by up to 60%.
Ezetimib is a sterol transport inhibitor and prevents the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines. This lowers LDL cholesterol by 15-20%. It blocks the Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 protein (NPC1L1), which is located on the membrane of enterocytes of the small intestine wall and is necessary for the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine.
Prophylaxis
In some studies, a connection between elevated cholesterol levels and vascular disease has been shown. In order to lower cholesterol levels, the above-mentioned drugs can be taken. However, one can also lower the cholesterol level significantly and thus reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.
According to the recommendations of the German Society for Nutrition, the following points should be taken into account: The food should be prepared as low-fat as possible, preferably using vegetable oil. should be eaten rarely, but fresh fruit and vegetables several times a day. Sufficient exercise and abstaining from alcohol further reduces the risk. – low-fat food and
- A lot of movement
- Fat meat,
- Intestines,
- Sausage,
- Cheese and egg yolk
Summary
Cholesterol is an essential substance for the body and is the basic substance for the formation of numerous hormones (sex hormones, glucocorticoids). It is produced in the liver by a complicated mechanism from activated acetic acid (acetyl CoA). The most important enzyme in the body’s own synthesis of cholesterol is HMG-CoA reductase.
Only a small part of the cholesterol is absorbed from the intestine through food every day. Cholesterol is a water-insoluble substance and must be bound to various lipoproteins in order to be transported in the blood. With the help of these transport proteins it is transported to the tissues and back to the liver.
In some studies it has been shown that years of significantly elevated cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of vascular disease and thus stroke and heart attack. Diseases clearly associated with elevated cholesterol are congenital familial hypercholesterolemia and gallstone disease. Effective drugs to lower cholesterol are primarily the In addition, cholesterol levels can be lowered by a healthy diet, lots of exercise and little alcohol. – HMG-CoA- reductase inhibitors (statins),
- Fibrates and
- Ezetimib.
