You have this condition if there are high levels of cholesterol in the blood. There are three parts of cholesterol:

• Low density lipoproteins (LDL)—known as bad cholesterol. It causes build up of cholesterol and other fats in the blood vessels. High LDL levels can cause artery and heart disease.
• High density lipoproteins (HDL)—known as good cholesterol. It can remove cholesterol and other fats from the blood vessels. High levels of HDL can protect against heart disease.
• Triglycerides—a common form of fat in the body. Often elevated in people with diabetes or certain genetic conditions.
• Particles—proteins associated with certain types of cholesterols in the body. These may be a better signal about your risk of developing disease in the blood vessels.

Causes of high cholesterol include:

• Genetics
• High-fat diet
• Overweight
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Excess alcohol intake
• Liver or kidney disease
• Anorexia nervosa
• Underactive thyroid disease

These factors increase your chance of high cholesterol:

• Age: cholesterol levels tend to rise with age
• Sex:
  • Males
  • Females after menopause
• Family members with high cholesterol
• High-fat diet
• Obesity, overweight
• Sedentary lifestyle

The condition itself will rarely cause any symptoms. If not treated, it often leads to atherosclerosis . This is a dangerous hardening of the arteries. It can end up blocking blood flow through arteries. In severe cases, this may result in:

• Angina
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Other serious complications

If you have an inherited form of high cholesterol, cholesterol deposits in the:

• Tendons
• Under the eyes
• Around the cornea

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. These tests are used to measure the cholesterol levels in your blood:

Blood test to measure:

• Total cholesterol
• HDL cholesterol
• LDL cholesterol
• Triglycerides

Treatment may include:

• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet . Eat high-fiber food.
• Begin a safe exercise program with the advice of your doctor.
• If you smoke, quit.
• If you are overweight, lose weight.
• Avoid processed and refined sugars and starches (white bread, white potatoes, white rice and simple sugars)
• Drink alcohol in moderation. This means two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women.

If diet and exercise do not work, you may need medication. Examples include:

• Cholestyramine (Questran)
• Colestipol (Colestid)
• Niacin (Niacor)
• Statins
  • Lovastatin (Mevacor)
  • Pravastatin (Pravachol)
  • Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
  • Simvastatin (Zocor)
  • Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
• Ezetimibe (Zetia)

Statins are often prescribed for high cholesterol. They have been shown to reduce mortality (death), heart attacks, and stroke. Ezetimibe has reduced plaque in arteries. However, it has not been shown to reduce mortality.

Some may have a high risk for coronary artery disease. In this case, combination therapy may be needed to lower LDL.