Introduction to High Blood Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is an integral structural component of the cell membrane and also plays an important role in the production of some of the body's hormones. Without cholesterol, the body would not be able to function properly and, under normal circumstances, the body produces all of the cholesterol that it needs. Hypercholesterolemia, the medical term that is used to describe higher than normal levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream, is usually caused by the intake of extra cholesterol from the diet. Over the years, high levels of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the bloodstream (lipids) can lead to the accumulation of fatty deposits in the walls of the arteries known as plaques that can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease.