Why is high blood cholesterol dangerous?

Cholesterol comes in two forms:

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the “bad,” unhealthy kind of cholesterol.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good,” healthy kind of cholesterol.

High cholesterol can be dangerous is as explained in following stages-

Stage 1: When there is excess of LDL cholesterol in the body it can build up in your arteries, clogging them and making them less flexible. Hardening of the arteries is called atherosclerosis. Blood doesn’t flow as well through stiff arteries, so the heart has to work harder to push blood through them. Over time, as plaque builds up in arteries, one can develop heart disease.

Stage 2: Plaque buildup in coronary arteries can disrupt the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. This may cause chest pain called Angina. Angina isn’t a heart attack, but it is a temporary disruption of blood flow. It’s a warning that individuals can be at risk for a heart attack.

Stage 3: A piece of plaque can eventually break off and form a clot or the artery may continue to become narrowed which can fully block blood flow to heart, leading to a heart attack. If this process occurs in the arteries going to the brain or within the brain it can lead to a stroke.

Stage 4: Plaque can also block the flow of blood to arteries that supply blood to your intestinal tract, legs, and feet. This is called Peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Hence, It is important to get total cholesterol levels to be checked at regular intervals. Effective dietary modifications, exercise routine, lifestyle changes,