Kaye, gallstones are?
Kaye, gallstones are common (about 20% of women in developed
countries). There are several types of gallstones, the most
frequent being cholesterol gallstones. These can occur due to an
imbalance of cholesterol and the agents that are responsible for
dissolving cholesterol, both secreted by the liver. If there's too
much cholesterol or too little of the dissolving agents, stones can
form. Anything that causes stones to more rapidly form, like
decreased function of the gallbladder or even an individual's
tendency to form stones, will lead to gallstones. Less common types
of gallstones stem from too much bilirubin (the breakdown product
of blood) or some intestinal diseases. Gallstones are more common
as we age and in females, and also with hormone therapy. Despite
the role of cholesterol in forming most gallstones, there's no
relationship between stone formation and cholesterol in the blood.
The majority of people with gallstones, fortunately, don't have
symptoms. So as long as the gallstones don't cause problems,
there's nothing to worry about and nothing that needs to be
done.