Question

Does high cholesterol cause heart disease?

Some prominent researchers like Dr. Stephen Sinatra, cardiologist, believe that cholesterol doesn’t causes heart disease

. Research: “The Cholesterol Myth”, “Cholesterol Hoax”, “Cholesterol Fraud” and “Cholesterol Scam’ to read an alternative opinion about cholesterol and heart disease. Answer the question, "Does high cholesterol cause heart disease?".

Answer either pro or con, and state the research that you found to support your position.

Answer 1

High cholesterol can cause heart diseases.Total cholesterol in body is circulating in three forms, Low density lipoprotein (LDL)high density lipoprotein (HDL),triglycerides.The LDL s also known as bad cholesterol.They tend to accumulate in blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis.It will narrow down the arteries and hence decreses or blocks the blood flow to distal areas.If the blockage occurs in coronary arteries it will leads to angina and myocardial infarction.It also decreses the pumping activity of heart leading to heart failure.So incresinc level of cholesterol increases the risk for heart diseases.

Research evidences

1.Cholesterol, coronary artery diseases,stroke:A review of published evidence from observational studies and randomized controlled trials.

Rachel Huxley et Al,semin vasc med,2002 August

2.Framingharm study ,a prospective cohort study with 5000 participants, published in 1977 concluded that high HDL and low LDL is associated with low risk of heart diseases.

Supporting facts

- British heart association included high cholesterol levels among the 5 main risk factors of cardiac diseases.

- NHS public guidelines claims that risk of heart diseases increases as blood cholesterol levels increases.