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High Cholesterol

Condition Basics

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What is high cholesterol?

High cholesterol means that you have too much cholesterol in your blood. Cholesterol is a type of fat. It's needed for many body functions, such as making new cells. It's made by your body. It also comes from food you eat (meat and dairy products).

Having high cholesterol can lead to the buildup of fatty deposits called plaque (say "plak") in artery walls. This can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

What causes it?

Doctors can't usually say for sure what may have caused high cholesterol. But many things can make it more likely. These things include eating too much food that contains saturated fat, Opens dialog and having family who have or had high cholesterol.

What are the symptoms?

High cholesterol doesn't cause symptoms in most people. It's usually found during a blood test that measures cholesterol levels.

How is it diagnosed?

High cholesterol is diagnosed with a blood test. The test measures the level of total cholesterol plus the level of different types of cholesterol and fats in your blood. These include LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. High cholesterol levels don't cause symptoms. A blood test is the only way to know your cholesterol levels.

How is high cholesterol treated?

The two types of treatment for high cholesterol are lifestyle changes and medicines called statins. The goal of treatment is to reduce your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. It's not to lower your cholesterol numbers alone.

Lifestyle changes include:

  • Eating heart-healthy foods.
  • Losing weight if you need to, and staying at a healthy weight.
  • Being active on most, if not all, days of the week.
  • Not smoking.

Some people also take medicines called statins, Opens dialog, along with lifestyle changes, to reduce their risk.

The way you choose to lower your risk will depend on how high your risk for heart attack and stroke is. It will also depend on how you feel about taking medicines. Your doctor can help you know your risk and balance the benefits and risks of your treatment options.

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Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.