High cholesterol
On this page
- About high cholesterol
- Causes of high cholesterol
- Symptoms of high cholesterol
- Diagnosing high cholesterol
- Treating high cholesterol
- Preventing high cholesterol
- Risks of high cholesterol
About high cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat that your body needs to function properly. It comes from 2 sources: your liver (which makes most of it) and your diet.
There are 2 main types of cholesterol:
- HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is known as “good” cholesterol
- HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from your blood
- LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is often called “bad” cholesterol
- too much LDL can build up in your artery walls and block blood flow to the heart and brain
High cholesterol means there’s too much of certain fats in your blood, particularly LDL cholesterol. It’s best to have high levels of good cholesterol and low levels of bad cholesterol.
Causes of high cholesterol
Several factors can cause high cholesterol, such as:
- age, as cholesterol tends to rise as we get older
- family history since high cholesterol can run in families
- physical inactivity, as not being active can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol
- smoking, which damages your blood vessels, making them more likely to collect fatty deposits
- unhealthy eating habits given fatty and processed foods have a strong influence on your cholesterol levels
- other health conditions, including:
- obesity
- diabetes
- chronic kidney disease
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Symptoms of high cholesterol
High cholesterol has no symptoms.
Diagnosing high cholesterol
Only a blood test can detect high cholesterol. It gives important information about the amount and types of fats in the bloodstream, like cholesterol and triglycerides. Triglycerides are your body’s most common form of fat.
Treating high cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol, ask your health care provider how to reach healthy cholesterol levels through lifestyle changes. Additionally, your health care provider may prescribe medications for high cholesterol.
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Preventing high cholesterol
There are many different ways to reduce your risk of high cholesterol and other heart-related conditions. These include:
- eating a variety of healthy foods
- being physically active regularly
- maintaining a healthy weight
- quitting (or not starting) smoking
- limiting alcohol use
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Risks of having high cholesterol
You should have your cholesterol checked starting at age 40, or earlier if you have risk factors like:
- diabetes
- kidney disease
- being a smoker
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- a family history of heart disease or stroke
- hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
Physical effects of high cholesterol can include:
- accumulation of plaque (a mix of fats, calcium and cholesterol) buildup in the arteries
- this can lead to chest pain (angina), narrowed arteries and reduced blood flow (atherosclerosis)
- forming blood clots if high cholesterol results from high levels of triglycerides
- increased risk of heart attack, heart failure or stroke due to reduced oxygen and blood flow to the heart or brain
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Who is most at risk
Screening for high cholesterol is recommended for:
- males 40 years of age and older
- females 40 years of age and older, or post-menopausal
Earlier screening is recommended for certain population groups at increased risk such as South Asian or Indigenous peoples.
Screening for high cholesterol is also recommended for people who have the following conditions (regardless of age):
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- erectile dysfunction
- current cigarette smoking
- obesity, with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30
- HIV infection, also known as human immunodeficiency virus
- physical signs of high cholesterol, such as fatty deposits under the skin
- evidence of vascular disease or coronary artery disease, with or without symptoms
- vascular disease is any disease that affects the blood vessels, such as:
- chronic kidney disease
- peripheral artery disease
- abdominal aortic aneurysm (occurs when part of the main artery in your abdomen weakens and bulges, which can lead to bursting)
- coronary artery disease is a buildup of plaque in the arteries of the heart
- vascular disease is any disease that affects the blood vessels, such as:
- inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or inflammatory bowel disease
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe
Screening is also recommended for individuals with a family history or history of the following:
- a family history of high cholesterol
- a family history of early heart disease or stroke
- history of high blood pressure (hypertension) during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia or gestational hypertension
- preeclampsia means you may have high blood pressure or high levels of protein in your urine (indicating kidney damage)
- it usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy and can occur in people whose blood pressure was previously in the standard range
- gestational hypertension is high blood pressure that develops for the first time after 20 weeks of pregnancy
- it usually develops in someone who previously had normal blood pressure without other signs of damage like excess protein in the urine (preeclampsia)
- preeclampsia means you may have high blood pressure or high levels of protein in your urine (indicating kidney damage)
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