Cholesterol and its relation to heart disease
ver 20 million Americans
are impacted by
some form of peripheral
neuropathy, a condition
that results from damage to
the nerves that connect the
brain and the spinal cord
(the central nervous system)
to limbs and organs. Damage
to these “peripheral” nerves
can be caused by conditions
such as Lyme disease, cancer,
kidney failure, rheumatoid
arthritis or nutritional
deficiencies. One of the most
common causes is diabetes.
Peripheral neuropathy is
also a potential side effect of
chemotherapy.
The symptoms typically
include pain, weakness,
numbness, burning, tickling
or tingling sensations (“pins
and needles”) in the legs,
feet, arms and hands and/or
difficulty walking. Peripheral
neuropathy can occur at
any age but is most common
among adults over the age of
40. It may begin suddenly or
progress gradually, over a
period of years.
“Although many people
develop the symptoms of neuropathy,
public awareness of
this condition is low; often,
those who have one or more
signs and symptoms remain
undiagnosed for months or
years,” said Miran Salgado,
MD, chairman of neurosciences
at NewYork-Presbyterian
Brooklyn Methodist
Hospital. “Even more important,
neuropathy may be the
first sign of a previously undiagnosed
illness—including
diabetes, hepatitis, and
infectious or rheumatologic
disease. Individuals who develop
symptoms without an
obvious cause should consult
a physician.”
According to Dr. Salgado,
some neuropathies can be
managed and controlled, “especially
COURIER L 34 IFE, JAN. 4–10, 2019 M B G
when the diagnosis
is established early.” With
mild symptoms, adjusting
lifestyle choices can sometimes
alleviate neuropathy.
Daily exercise can relieve
symptoms of pain and can
keep blood sugar levels under
control for patients with
neuropathy who also have diabetes.
Foot care, especially
for patients with diabetes is
important; tight shoes and
socks can increase pain and
limit circulation. Smoking
cessation can increase blood
circulation and decrease tingling
sensations. Healthy eating
is also important because
it ensures that patients get
essential vitamins and minerals,
and positive lifestyle
choices like weight control
and exercise can contribute
to prevention of neuropathy.
If the symptoms do not
abate, patients with neuropathy
may be treated with
medications that have been
proven to relieve pain—
such as topical anesthetics,
anti-seizure medications
(which are typically used
to decrease nerve pain) and
anti-depressants, which
have been found to help relieve
discomfort by interfering
with chemical processes
in the brain and spinal cord
pain centers.
“It is important to remember
that treatment of the neuropathy
depends, in part, on
the underlying cause,” said
Dr. Salgado. “It’s a good idea
to consult your doctor at the
first signs.”
To schedule an appointment
with a physician affiliated
with NYP Brooklyn
Methodist Hospital, please
call 718-499-2273 or visit www.
nyp.org/brooklyn.
Health
High cholesterol levels have long
been directly linked to heart disease.
But as more research into
cholesterol and its relation to heart
disease is conducted, some doctors are
shifting their views on the relationship
between the two.
Statistics from the American Heart
Association indicate that 75-million
Americans currently suffer from heart
disease. And even though one-quarter
of the population takes cholesterollowering
medication and has reduced
the fat content of their diets, the Association
estimates that more Americans
will die of heart disease than ever before.
More revelations are coming to the
forefront regarding cholesterol and
heart disease. New research has shown
that statin drugs are ineffective at reducing
mortality rates in most populations.
Furthermore, according to the
Framingham Heart Study, which is the
longest-running and most comprehensive
study on heart disease to date, it
was demonstrated that cholesterol intake
in the diet had no correlation with
heart disease. The study found that men
and women with above average cholesterol
levels had nearly identical rates of
heart disease compared to those with
below average cholesterol rates.
Another potential eye opener is that,
in addition to cholesterol not affecting
heart-disease risk, eating high-cholesterol
foods does not elevate blood-cholesterol
levels as doctors once thought.
Ancel Keys, who is considered the “father”
of the theory that cholesterol
contributes to heart disease, now says
that there’s no connection between cholesterol
in food and cholesterol in the
blood.
If not cholesterol levels and the foods
one eats, what, then is responsible for
heart disease? Many medical professionals
and researchers now believe
the primary causes of heart disease are
infl ammation and oxidative stress.
According to Dr. Dwight Lundell, a
heart surgeon and author of the book,
“The Great Cholesterol Lie,” foods like
refi ned sugars and vegetable oils used
to preserve processed foods may lead
to the infl ammation that ultimately
causes heart disease. Infl ammation is
the body’s immune response to a foreign
invader. Foods high in sugar and
saturated fat can exacerbate infl ammation.
Bacteria and other unwanted substances
in the body also contribute to
infl ammation.
To combat infl ammation, people can
adopt a healthy eating style. Fatty fi sh,
whole grains, leafy greens, fi ber, and
nuts can help reduce infl ammation.
Exercise also can reduce infl ammation.
Research from Dr. Mark Hamer,
an epidemiologist at University College
London, found that, regardless of bodymass
index or weight, study participants
who completed 2.5 hours of moderate
exercise each week — about 20
minutes a day — lowered their markers
of infl ammation by at least 12 percent.
When a person exercises, muscle tissue
releases a protein molecule called
cytokine, which likely prompts an infl
ammation drop. Just about any type
of workout that raises heart rate is effective
in helping with infl ammation.
The public may have been misinformed
about just how vital it is to reduce
cholesterol levels. Contrary to
popular belief, high cholesterol may
not have the same connection to heart
disease as doctors once thought. In fact,
infl ammation may be the bigger component
in heart disease risk.
Cholesterol levels may not have the same relationship to heart disease as once believed.
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