Cholesterol is a waxy substance found within the fat in your blood. While cholesterol is necessary for healthy cells, high cholesterol is one of the primary risk factors for heart disease. There are two main types of cholesterol: LDL, or bad cholesterol, which keeps cholesterol in the blood and HDL, or good cholesterol, which removes cholesterol from the body. Patients with a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or higher or an LDL of 160 mg/dL or higher are diagnosed with high cholesterol. Many factors can increase your risk of developing high...
You probably think of cholesterol as something bad for your physical well-being, but there actually are two main types of cholesterol. According to MayoClinic.com, LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is the harmful type of cholest...
You can also find cholesterol in food from animals such as meat and dairy products. Every human body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to function. However, high levels of cholesterol can increase your risks of heart diseas...
Millions of Americans unknowingly suffer from high cholesterol, a condition that spurs a number of serious, and sometimes fatal, health complications. Although every complication has its own treatment, it is easier to stop it b...
High cholesterol, a condition also referred to as hyperlipidemia, occurs when the cholesterol level increases to over 240mg/dL. Having high cholesterol increases your risk for developing heart disease that can lead to heart att...
There is good cholesterol -- HDL cholesterol -- and bad cholesterol -- LDL cholesterol. The key to reducing your cholesterol risks is to keep your HDL levels high and your LDL levels low. Cholesterol can be helpful if it is kep...
Having a high cholesterol level is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis of the cardiac arteries. In this disorder, the arteries become hard and thick. It will not only be hard for the blood to flow through the a...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, this is considered the top cause of death in the world. Many factors such as a high cholesterol diet and obesity may increase the risk of cardiovascular disea...
Approximately one out of every six people has high blood cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cholesterol plays important roles in different bodily functions, but too much can lead to heart ...
High cholesterol is not symptomatic, and is often only diagnosed when you have a cholesterol screening done at the doctor's office. However, you can also look at some major cholesterol risk factors to see if you fit in any cate...
Keeping your cholesterol levels in check is an important part of an overall plan to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. While your body needs some cholesterol, too much of it in your bloodstream can lead to disease. Y...
Some like your age, gender and nationality cannot be changed. Others such as smoking, being overweight, sedentary and eating an unhealthy diet can be altered to improve your health. An important component of managing your diet ...
There are a number of commonly prescribed medications that include HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins,) fibric acid derivatives, bile-acid sequestrants and nicotinic acid (niacin or vitamin B3). Each one is prescribed for a ...
