Stroke is a major neurological disease. Stroke is the third leading cause of death (after heart disease and cancer), but it is the number one cause of disability. Stroke occurs due to disruption of blood vessels in the brain.

Research in the United States shows that there are 3 million Americans is affected by blood vessel disease (heart disease, stroke, and peripheral blood vessels) and 150,000 of them die each year. General recurrent stroke incidence is also found, 33% of stroke patients who survive will suffer a stroke back in 5 years.

Stroke can occur because a person has healthy individual stroke risk factors. There stroke risk factors that can be controlled and others can not be controlled.

Stroke risk factors that can not be controlled are age, gender, race, family history, and history of previous stroke. Old age group and men easier get stroke, as well as someone with a family history of stroke.

Stroke risk factors can be controlled are hypertension, diabetes, smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood triglycerides, obesity and so on.

Understanding of stroke risk factors can be controlled is important. Control of these stroke risk factors will decrease a person’s risk for stroke. Controlled blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg would reduce one’s risk for stroke. Quitting smoking will reduce the risk of stroke.

High cholesterol is also a risk factor for stroke. Critical question that arises is ‘How does the relationship between high blood cholesterol and stroke?’ and ‘How cholesterol control efforts to prevent a stroke?’

Know cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance, which is normally formed in the body. Cholesterol is formed in the liver from fatty foods. Cholesterol plays many important roles in the functioning of body cells (such as hormone production).

Blood cholesterol can be divided into 2 main sections: LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) is known as ‘bad cholesterol’ and HDL cholesterol (High Density Lipoprotein) is known as ‘good cholesterol’. LDL carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells and HDL cholesterol from play brought to the liver cells.

LDL cholesterol is high, it will trigger the accumulation of cholesterol in the cell, which causes the emergence of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arterial wall) and the accumulation of plaque on artery walls. This increase risks associated with diseases of blood vessels (e.g. coronary heart disease, stroke, blood vessel disorders integral).

Levels of high blood cholesterol can be caused by various factors. The factors that cause high cholesterol is genetic, high-fat diet, being overweight, physical inactivity, and smoking. Smoking increases LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol may also high due to the consumption of alcohol or drugs (e.g. steroids or the contraceptive pill).

The relationship of cholesterol and stroke

Cholesterol is a stroke risk factor consistently reported from various research results. High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol ratio and high HDL associated with an increased risk of stroke. This will be strengthened if there is a risk factor of stroke (e.g.: hypertension, smoking, obesity).

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