Cholesterol is a fat like substance naturally made by your body and used for the production of hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids to help you digest fat. Cholesterol is also found in the foods we eat. High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease.
When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of the arteries of your heart or coronary arteries. Over time, this build-up causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries, a process called atherosclerosis. This process can stop or slow down blood flow to your heart increasing your risk of a heart attack.
High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms and many people don’t know their cholesterol is too high. Everyone age 20 or older should have their levels checked at least once every 5 years. It is recommended to have a blood test called a lipoprotein profile to measure your total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride blood levels. If you have an elevated cholesterol profile, you will have to be tested more often. Talk with your doctor to find out what is best for you.
A desirable total cholesterol level is less than 200mg/dL.
