Does High Cholesterol Cause High Blood Pressure? How They Are Linked?

High cholesterol is a condition that comes due to excessive lipids in the blood. This condition is known as hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolemia. It increases the risk of several cardiovascular diseases.

The excessive fatty substances form plaques on artery walls. The plaque formed in the artery walls blocks the blood flow thereby heart couldn’t pump blood through those areas. It results in various cardiovascular diseases.

Have you ever thought about the relationship between high cholesterol and high blood pressure?

Scientists proved that there is a close relationship between high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Both conditions can lead to severe heart diseases. They can interact with each other and damage your blood vessels and heart. The article gives you the differences between high cholesterol and high blood pressure as well as how they are related.

What Do You Mean By High Cholesterol?

High Cholesterol is always an enemy of human life. At the same time, cholesterol is needed for several functions in the body.

Do you know the significance of cholesterol?

A small amount of cholesterol is essential for the smooth running of your body. Just like other components in the body, cholesterol helps to produce many hormones, make cell membranes, and also produce vitamin D. It has its unique purpose in the body. The liver is the producer of cholesterol.

In addition, cholesterol also produces through the food that you intake. Some people have excessive fat deposits in their blood. It may occur due to two reasons. One is a genetic disorder like FH(familial hypercholesterolemia) and the second reason is due to lifestyle changes.

People who have excessive fat deposits may be diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. High cholesterol also comes due to the after-effects of other diseases.

As aforementioned, the excessive lipid forms a plaque in the artery walls causing the blockage of blood flow. This ultimately results in cardiovascular diseases.

What Do You Mean By Blood Pressure?

It is a common disease that affects your arteries. In medical terms, blood pressure is known as hypertension. It is also known as a serious killer.  because most people with high blood pressure are unaware of the problem.

It doesn’t have any symptoms until it turns into a serious problem. The person with this condition has a high force of blood pushing against the artery walls. The heart works harder to pump blood through those narrow parts.

You need to check your pressure level to understand the risk factors. An average blood pressure level is considered less than 120/80 mmHg.

High blood pressure is categorized into two types. They are primary high blood pressure and secondary high blood pressure.  Primary high blood pressure is the common type of hypertension. The main cause of the condition includes unhealthy habits like lack of exercise and aging.

The secondary type of hypertension comes due to hormonal problems. A person with hypertension may have an increased chance of serious health problems like peripheral vascular disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, eye damage, vascular dementia, etc.  

The Connection Between High Cholesterol And Hypertension

Cholesterol and hypertension are linked. Mostly both diseases come due to unhealthy lifestyles and affect cardiovascular health. When your body has excessive cholesterol, it deposits along artery walls.

The regular deposits make the arteries narrow and stiff. The heart needs to work hard to pump blood through that area. Therefore, high cholesterol leads to blood pressure going up.

High blood pressure gradually leads to damage to the arteries. The two diseases are considered the main risk factors for stroke. When you have high blood pressure and cholesterol, which means you have a high chance of getting heart disease. 

How Can You Manage High Cholesterol And High Blood Pressure?

Cholesterol and hypertension are two different diseases. But they influence each other. If cholesterol level increases, it also affects the rate of blood pressure as well.

As you all know, in most cases, the disease becomes worst because of unhealthy habits. A healthy lifestyle is the best remedy to improve both conditions.

Let’s see what are the ways you can choose for avoiding high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

• Eat healthy foods

Unhealthy food habits are the main reason for hypertension and high cholesterol. Avoiding saturated fat and trans fat improve HDL cholesterol level. Including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, and fish in your diet helps to remove bad cholesterol in your body.

Blood cholesterol is the reflection of saturated fat. So reducing saturated fat helps to improve your heart health.

Avoid red meats, processed meats, high-salt foods, and sugary foods. Replace these food items with a dash diet and a Mediterranean diet. 

• Be more active in  physical activities

Engaging in physical activities boosts the good cholesterol level. Doing regular exercise is not only good for your cholesterol, but also for lowering blood pressure.

Invest your 30 minutes in daily exercise. It can make big difference. Shedding out excessive cholesterol improves your heart health.

• Quit smoking and drinking habits

Smoking and drinking are the two unhealthy habits that cause high cholesterol. Smoking affects your blood pressure and leads to several heart diseases. You can consume alcohol at a moderate level.

But excessive consumption of alcohol can damage your liver and increase the amount of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. A person with high cholesterol strictly avoids tobacco products and drinking habits.

• Medication

When lifestyle changes can’t help you to bring any improvement in your cholesterol and blood pressure, medications can make the difference.

Statin is one of the widely used medicines that helps to remove bad cholesterol from the body. Take statins only when you need them.

Don’t use those kinds of drugs without permission from your doctor. Doctors say that taking a lot of pills causes you several diseases.

So, scientists are looking for a single pill that helps to lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Conclusion

High cholesterol and hypertension are two different diseases. However, they have some common facts too. Both conditions don’t have any symptoms until they cause severe problems.

If you have high cholesterol and high blood pressure, it doubly increases your heart disease. It’s important to check your cholesterol level as well as your blood pressure level regularly. If you find any symptoms, consult a doctor and take prescriptions if needed.