Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is located in cells, in digestive enzymes and in hormones. Two of the main types of cholesterol are the low density lipoproteins or LDLs, and high density lipoproteins, or HDLs. High levels of LDLs increase fatty buildup in your arteries and increase your risk of disease while high levels of HDLs lower your risk of developing disease. Cholesterol is important to the function of the cells in your body, but having too much LDL cholesterol in your blood can lead to several health problems.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis occurs when unhealthy LDL cholesterol, fats and other substances begin to collect along the lining of your arteries. Over time, these collections, or plaques, can begin to damage the artery walls -- which can lead to blockages in the arteries themselves. When these blockages form in the blood vessels that supply the heart, you may develop chest pain, which is called angina. You may also suffer from a acute heart attack if a blood clot forms on one of the plaques and completely blocks the vessel. Elevated cholesterol is a leading cause of atherosclerosis; lowering your cholesterol levels may lower your risk of coronary heart disease.
Peripheral Artery Disease
When atherosclerosis forms in the blood vessels of the legs, feet, arms and hands, the condition is called peripheral artery disease. Symptoms of this condition include cramping of the extremity during exertion; you may notice cramping or pain when walking or climbing stairs, the Mayo Clinic notes. You may also notice numbness or coldness of the arms or legs as well. If the condition gets worse, the pain or discomfort may start without activity. An injury to an extremity with severe peripheral artery disease could lead to an infection or amputation of the limb; the reduced blood flow may not allow the infection or wound to heal properly.
Stroke
Atherosclerosis in the blood vessels of the brain can also cause significant health problems like stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic. One type of stroke, called ischemic stroke, occurs when one of these narrowed blood vessels is blocked by a blood clot. A piece of a plaque may break off from another location in the body and may become lodged in a vessel that is supplying the brain; this can also cause an event called an embolic stroke. Some research suggests that elevated cholesterol increases your risk of ischemic stroke; however, other research suggests that if both high cholesterol and inflammation are present in the body, the risk of stroke is also higher.
Eye Diseases
High cholesterol levels can also be associated with several eye diseases. If you suffer from atherosclerosis, you are at high risk for the development of retinal artery occlusion, according to the National Institutes of Health. In this condition, the main artery supplying the blood to the eye becomes blocked, causing a loss of vision. Other eye diseases associated with elevated cholesterol levels include xanthelasmas -- which are flat yellowish bumps found on the skin -- and macular degeneration. People with high cholesterol levels are at higher risk of developing macular degeneration, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes.
References
- National Institutes of Medicine: High Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides
- National Institutes of Medicine: Stroke
- National Institutes of Medicine: Retinal Artery Occlusion
- MayoClinic.com: Peripheral Artery Disease
- National Institutes of Medicine: Xanthoma
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Macular Degeneration
