HIGH CHOLESTEROL

What is high cholesterol?

'Blood cholesterol is a natural fat. The body needs it to function properly.'

Its presence in the blood helps create:
 hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone
 cell membranes (the covering of cells) and vitamin D

The liver produces about 80% of cholesterol. The rest comes from foods or drinks, such as:
 

  fish
  meat
  poultry
  egg yolks
  dairy products

Eating foods high in cholesterol can affect blood cholesterol in some people. Fatty foods have the greatest effect on cholesterol levels. Too much cholesterol in the blood is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.


 There is both good and bad cholesterol in the blood. Good cholesterol can reduce the risk of heart disease and removes cholesterol from the arteries to the liver, which then eliminates it. Bad cholesterol makes the arteries narrower by covering them with plaque. Atherosclerotic plaque is a mixture of lipids, calcium and cholesterol that increases the risk of angina, heart attack and stroke. It is better to have high levels of good cholesterol and low levels of bad cholesterol.


What are the signs and symptoms of high cholesterol?

High cholesterol has no symptoms. Only a blood test can detect it. Screening for high cholesterol is recommended for:

men over 40 years old
 women over 50 years old (or after menopause)

 Screening for high cholesterol is also recommended for people who have:
 

diabetes
 high blood pressure
 smoking history
 visceral fat
 family history of early heart disease or stroke
 physical signs of high cholesterol (such as fatty deposits under the skin)
 evidence of vascular disease or coronary artery disease, with or without symptoms
 
How is high cholesterol diagnosed?


A cholesterol blood test provides important information about the amount and types of lipids in your bloodstream. Types of lipids include cholesterol and triglycerides. Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in the body. They are produced by the body as well as from the foods we eat. When we eat, the body converts unused calories into triglycerides. Triglycerides are stored in fat cells and released for energy between meals. If triglyceride levels in the blood are too high, they can affect cholesterol levels.