Cholesterol--a waxy, fat-like substance--comes from foods, but your body also produces all the cholesterol it needs for important cell functions and other processes. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol is helpful in reducing the risk for heart disease, while too much low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol can cause the buildup of plaque on artery walls. High cholesterol is a medical condition known as hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia and, while your body needs both types of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol can increase your risk for serious medical diseases, notes the American Heart Association.
Atherosclerosis
High cholesterol results in too much cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol buildup on the walls of arteries is called plaque. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body. Plaque builds up on artery walls, causing narrowing and hardening of the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Blood cannot flow freely through plaque-filled arteries. Blood flows throughout your body, transporting nutrients, oxygen and waste and to and from cells and tissues. Restricted blood flow compromised those functions.
Coronary Heart Disease
High cholesterol levels can cause narrowing of coronary arteries, limiting or preventing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. The narrowing of coronary arteries, and the subsequent decrease on blood flow, can cause coronary heart disease. A common symptom of coronary heart disease if angina, or chest pain, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Heart Attack and Stroke
If you have high cholesterol, you're at risk for heart disease and heart attacks. Plaque caused by high cholesterol can rupture, allowing fat and cholesterol into the bloodstream, which may cause blood clots. Blood clots caused by the fat and cholesterol can result in heart attacks and strokes, notes the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Clogged arteries in the heart, brain and legs can lead to blood clots in the arteries, which can cause a heart attack. A piece of dislodged plaque can travel through the bloodstream and cause a heart attack or stroke. Ischemic strokes, which occur in the brain, are the most common and are caused by plaque that has lodged in the brain.
Decreased Blood Flow
The decrease in the flow of blood caused by plaque buildup can lead to serious diseases and life-threatening conditions. An enlarged heart can result from the extra effort to move blood through obstructed arteries. High and low blood pressure can occur in different parts of the body due to obstructed arteries. High blood pressure can cause kidney damage.
