For every six adults in the United States, one has high cholesterol above 240 milligrams per deciliter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diet, weight, physical inactivity, genetic factors, age and gender play a role in your risk of developing high cholesterol. This condition, also called hypercholesterolemia, doubles your risk of heart disease and typically causes no symptoms or signs.
Atherosclerosis
Having high cholesterol levels increases the risk of a cardiovascular condition called atherosclerosis. When a person has atherosclerosis, plaque, a substance composed of cholesterol, calcium and fat, accumulates in the arteries. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, plaque eventually hardens and clogs the arteries' passageways, making it difficult for blood to flow to the heart and other organs.
Angina
People who have high cholesterol also have an increased risk of developing pain in the chest, also called angina. Angina results when the plaque buildup of atherosclerosis reduces or blocks the flow of blood in the arteries. Angina feels like a squeezing pressure, burning or tightness in the chest, but it can also cause nausea, weakness, light-headedness or shortness of breath. Sometimes people attribute their angina to indigestion or pain in the arm or neck. Anyone who has chest pain should see a doctor; if the pain is severe, visit the hospital or call emergency medical services.
Heart Attack
High cholesterol causes plaque to build up in the arteries that carry blood to your heart and lungs. If the plaque in the coronary arteries bursts, a blood clot can cut off the blood supply to the heart, a situation commonly known as a heart attack. Before a heart attack occurs, a person may feel out of breath or nauseated. He may feel pain or squeezing in the chest or arm, faint or sweaty. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, heart attacks occur in more than one million people every year.
Stroke
Stroke is another health risk associated with high cholesterol levels. Hardened plaque caused by high cholesterol levels in the blood can narrow and block the blood flow to the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Signs of blocked blood flow to the brain include numbness in the face or on just one side of the body, severe headache, unexpected confusion and sudden dizziness or trouble walking. Stroke causes more than 135,000 deaths annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.
