Raised Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Life and Critical Illness Insurance Cover
Many of us will have heard of raised cholesterol and raised blood pressure, however how many of us actually know what they are.
Cholesterol is a certain type of fat which is found within the body and it contains oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. It is mostly produced within our bodies but you can also eat foods that contain it. When it comes to cholesterol there are two different types.
- Low density lipoprotein cholesterol – this can also be known as LDL. This form of cholesterol is the bad kind that you can have. If a person was to have rather high levels of this LDL then they can be typically found to develop atherosclerosis. This is a disease where the fatty deposits of the cholesterol build up on to the individuals arteries and could cause further problems. This means the blood flow is reduces due to the deposits and can lead to problems in the heart and also possible strokes.
- High density lipoprotein cholesterol – this is also known as HD and is the better type of cholesterol to have. This is passed throughout the body to the liver. The liver then cleanses the body and gets rid of any of the excess cholesterol that the body may not need.
If you are an individual that suffers from high levels of LDL then your chances are increased of developing heart disease and encountering a stroke.
The different types of ways that cholesterol can be consumed in to the body are by things like:
- Various sources of food, for example prawns, kidneys, eggs etc.
- Saturated fats.
- Unsaturated fats.
- Tran’s fats.
It is important to monitor your cholesterol level to ensure that you remain healthy and avoid unnecessary and unwanted health problems.
Raised blood pressure which can also be known as hypertension, high blood pressure is where the individual in question has a higher level of blood pressure normally more than 140/90mmHg. High blood pressure can often show no symptoms nor can it have any affect on the person, however in other cases it can cause major heart problems such as heart disease.
The blood pressure of an individual can be measured in two different measurements which are:
- Systolic pressure – this is measured upon the amount blood pushed around the body when the heart beats.
- Diastolic pressure – this is the measurement of the blood in between every heart beat.
If you have high blood pressure you heart has to work overtime and a lot harder to enable it to push the blood around your body. If this happens on a regular basis it undoubtedly weakens the arteries, therefore the individual may sustain a stroke or heart problems.
However if you are applying for insurance and already have these or one of them, then your chances of getting a standard premium or even cover may be decreased. This is because the insurance company have to take into account the risks that may be involved in taking these types of conditions on.