High cholesterol - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Overview Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the blood The body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells But high levels of cholesterol can raise the risk of heart disease With high cholesterol, fats and other substances can build up in blood vessels called arteries This buildup is called plaque As more plaque forms over time, the arteries can become narrowed or clogged That makes
Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers - Mayo Clinic Research suggests that the fiber from avocados can improve HDL cholesterol levels and the quality of LDL cholesterol Adding two servings of avocado per week to a heart-healthy diet can lower your risk of heart disease People tend to think of avocados in guacamole, which often is eaten with high-fat corn chips
Statin side effects: Weigh the benefits and risks - Mayo Clinic The body needs cholesterol But having too much cholesterol in the blood raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes Statins block an enzyme the liver needs to make cholesterol This causes the liver to remove cholesterol from the blood
Statins: Are these cholesterol-lowering drugs right for you? Statins are drugs that can lower your cholesterol They work by blocking a substance that your body needs to make cholesterol Lowering cholesterol isn't the only benefit of taking a statin These medicines also have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke Statins also may help reduce the risk of certain blood clots
Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol High cholesterol raises your risk of heart disease and heart attacks Medicines can help improve your cholesterol But if you'd rather start with some healthy lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol, try these five things
Familial hypercholesterolemia - Symptoms causes - Mayo Clinic Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited condition that affects the way the body processes cholesterol As a result, people with familial hypercholesterolemia have a higher risk of heart disease and a greater risk of early heart attack
Cholesterol ratio or non-HDL cholesterol: Which is most important? For predicting your risk of heart disease, many healthcare professionals now believe that determining your non-HDL cholesterol level may be more useful than calculating your cholesterol ratio And either of those two options seems to be a better risk predictor than your total cholesterol level or your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, known as the "bad" cholesterol
Cholesterol medications: Consider the options - Mayo Clinic A healthy lifestyle is the best way to prevent and treat high cholesterol But sometimes diet and exercise aren't enough You also might need to take cholesterol medicines to help: Lower your level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol that raises the risk of heart disease Lower your level of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood that also raises the risk of
Triglycerides: Why do they matter? - Mayo Clinic High triglycerides are often a sign of other conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, including obesity and metabolic syndrome Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and low good cholesterol levels