High cholesterol may increase your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Heart attack and stroke, the two most common forms of cardiovascular disease, cost Americans more than $500 billion in 2010, according to HealthyPeople.gov, a website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These costs include health care and other related expenditures. High levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream are associated with heart and circulatory problems.
Anatomy
Excess cholesterol and other fatty substances build up in the bloodstream and accumulate inside the walls of blood vessels, including arteries, veins and capillaries. This buildup injures the vessels and causes inflammation. Accumulation prevents blood from flowing efficiently through the blood vessels. Slowly moving blood tends to clot. Blood clots may partially or completely block blood vessels, preventing blood from reaching vital organs.
Risks
High levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream are strongly associated with heart disease. Every 1 percent drop in your cholesterol reduces your risk for heart disease by 2 percent, according to the ClevelandClinic website. High cholesterol and other factors such as high blood pressure and smoking cause atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis injures the arteries leading to the heart, brain and to those arteries leading to the arms and legs in medical conditions such as coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease and peripheral artery disease. These conditions put you at high risk for heart attack, stroke and circulation problems in your hands and feet. Arteries damaged by atherosclerosis may develop an aneurysm, which is a bulge in the wall of the artery. An aneurysm may burst, which is a serious and sudden catastrophic event but can occur as a slow leak resulting in internal bleeding.
Causes
A diet high in unhealthy fat and cholesterol is the primary cause of high blood cholesterol levels. A sedentary lifestyle, smoking and alcohol consumption raises your risk for developing high cholesterol. Heredity puts some people at increased jeopardy for high cholesterol.
Levels
Your doctor measures your blood cholesterol level to assess your risk for heart disease. A high level of total cholesterol is associated with a high risk for heart disease and, conversely, low levels of cholesterol are associated with reduced cardiovascular risk. People with total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL have the lowest risk for heart disease. Total cholesterol between 201 and 239 mg/dL puts a person at borderline risk for circulatory problems. A person with cholesterol levels 240 mg/dL or higher has a very high chance for suffering heart disease.
Treatment
You can lower your blood cholesterol level and your risk for heart disease by eating a healthy diet, exercising more, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption. Your doctor may prescribe medicines such as niacin, statins and fibrates if diet, exercise and lifestyle changes do not lower your cholesterol to healthy levels.
