High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid. It’s vital for the normal functioning of the body. Cell membranes, hormones and vitamin D are created by your body using cholesterol.

There are 2 main sources of the cholesterol in your blood:

• cholesterol in the food you eat
• cholesterol produced by your liver

Having an excessively high level of lipids in your blood (hyperlipidemia) can have an effect on your health.

High cholesterol, on its own, doesn’t usually cause any symptoms but increases your risk of serious health conditions.

About cholesterol

Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins. When the two combine, they’re called lipoproteins. There are two main types of lipoprotein.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver. From there it’s either broken down or passed out of the body as a waste product. For this reason, HDL is referred to as “good cholesterol” and higher levels are better.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries cholesterol to the cells that need it. If there’s too much cholesterol for the cells to use it can build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL is known as “bad cholesterol”.

The amount of cholesterol in the blood, both HDL and LDL , is measured with a blood test.

The recommended cholesterol levels in the blood vary between those with a higher or lower risk of developing arterial disease.