Alternative name: What is high blood cholesterol?
High blood cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) means you have too many lipids, or fats, in your blood. These fats can build up in the arteries that carry blood to your heart and brain. Such narrowing of the arteries can cause angina, heart attack, stroke, and other health problems. Blood cholesterol tests tell how much fat is in your blood. A total cholesterol level test measures both your LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or "bad cholesterol,") and HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or "good cholesterol") levels in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Normal total cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL. A level above 240 mg/dL is a call for immediate action. What are the signs of high blood cholesterol? Unless you have angina or another heart problem, a person with high blood cholesterol suffers no outward symptoms. That is why it is important to have your cholesterol level checked at least once every five years. What causes high blood cholesterol? Cholesterol is essential for life, and is found in the body cells of all animals, including humans. Your body needs cholesterol to work right, but produces all of the cholesterol it needs. There are two basic kinds of cholesterol: LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or "bad cholesterol,") and HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or "good cholesterol"). LDL cholesterol builds up in the inner walls of the arteries that carry blood to your heart and brain. A high level of HDL cholesterol may protect against heart attack by carrying cholesterol away from the arteries and to the liver. When you eat meat, eggs, and dairy products—any food that comes from an animal—you are adding cholesterol to your blood. A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol is just one thing that may cause high blood cholesterol. Other factors include:
How does my doctor tell if I have high blood cholesterol? The best test for high blood cholesterol is a fasting lipoprotein test. It breaks cholesterol levels into four groups:
Normal total cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL. HDL levels should be above 40 mg/dL. Triglyceride levels also should be below 200 mg/dL. How is high blood cholesterol treated?
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