It's a difficult question to answer. The answer appears to be no on the surface. High cholesterol is usually accompanied by no symptoms. When we dig a little deeper, we discover that having high cholesterol increases your likelihood of acquiring a condition that includes angina as a symptom. As a result, even though there is no direct link between high cholesterol and angina, it does contribute to it indirectly.
Understanding Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a necessary component created by your liver and used as a building block throughout your body; however, it is not soluble in water and hence cannot flow through your bloodstream on its own. Depending on which way it's heading, it does, however, hitch a ride on one of two lipoproteins.
LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, transports cholesterol to where it's needed in your body, whereas HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, transports cholesterol back to your liver for elimination. This is a natural process that happens to everyone at some point in their lives. When the ratio of LDL to HDL tips in favor of the low-density lipoproteins, your cholesterol is deemed high. A bad diet, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, diabetes, or heredity can all contribute to this.
What happens when LDL levels are high
When you consume a high-fat diet, your LDL — or "bad" cholesterol — levels might rise beyond what your HDL can remove, and something has to happen with that excess LDL. The development of fatty deposits in your bloodstream is that item. These deposits build up on the inside of your blood vessels' walls. These deposits build up over time, obstructing the flow of blood via your arteries, the blood vessels that carry oxygen throughout your body.
Atherosclerosis is the name for these blockages, which leads to coronary heart disease. The many forms of angina discomfort are caused by a restricted flow of oxygen to your heart. High cholesterol is one of the most common causes of coronary heart disease, but it isn't the only one. Other risk factors include high blood pressure and age.
Different types of angina
Angina can be classified into four categories. These are some of them:
Stable angina: This type of angina occurs when coronary heart disease causes predictable angina pain that frequently occurs after physical effort.
Unstable angina: Unpredictable pain that can strike at any time, even when you're resting, and could indicate a heart attack.
Variant angina: is a type of angina that occurs unexpectedly and usually at night or early in the morning when you're at rest.
Microvascular angina: This type of angina is associated with coronary microvascular disease, which affects women more frequently than males. The pain lasts longer and is more severe than other types of angina.
Managing excessive cholesterol levels
Controlling LDL levels may prevent angina if you have high cholesterol but haven't had it before. While there are various medication options for lowering cholesterol, they all perform better when accompanied by a healthier diet and more exercise.
A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low in animal fats not only lowers cholesterol levels but also aids in weight loss and maintenance. Other dietary approaches to lowering cholesterol include quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption, as well as 30 minutes of moderate activity at least three times a week, which can enhance HDL while lowering LDL.
