9. Cholesterol Issues: The Hidden Cardiovascular Threat
Primary biliary cholangitis, while primarily a liver disease, doesn’t stop there. It subtly breaches boundaries, influencing cardiovascular health. Among the affected parameters? Cholesterol levels. This might sound unrelated at first, but the connections run deep.
Our liver, the body’s biochemical powerhouse, works on fats. It processes, uses, and stores them. Cholesterol, a specific type of fat, gets special attention. This waxy substance helps build cells, aids digestion, and more. A healthy liver regulates cholesterol like clockwork.
But PBC tosses a wrench into this system. The liver struggles, processing falters, and cholesterol levels spike. Specifically, LDL or “bad” cholesterol rises. This isn’t just a number on a report. Elevated LDL signals a cardiovascular risk. It implies plaque buildup, narrowed arteries, and more.
It’s a silent threat. One might not feel cholesterol climbing. It’s asymptomatic until complications arise. (9)
