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Key points
- Blood cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by your liver.
- Millions of people in the U.S. have high cholesterol.
- Optimal total cholesterol is about 150 mg/dL.
What it is
Blood cholesterol is essential: your body uses it to make hormones and digest fatty foods. But your body makes all it needs, so experts recommend eating as little dietary cholesterol as possible. Dietary cholesterol is in animal foods — meat, seafood, poultry, eggs and dairy. See preventing high cholesterol.
The numbers
A cholesterol check — a lipid panel or lipid profile — measures cholesterol and triglycerides in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL):
| Measure | What it is | Optimal |
|---|---|---|
| LDL ("bad") | high levels build plaque in arteries, leading to heart disease or stroke | about 100 mg/dL |
| HDL ("good") | high levels lower your risk of heart disease and stroke | at least 40 mg/dL in men, 50 mg/dL in women |
| Triglycerides | a blood fat used for energy; high levels with low HDL or high LDL raise heart attack and stroke risk | less than 150 mg/dL |
| Total cholesterol | based on HDL, LDL and triglycerides | about 150 mg/dL |
More: LDL, HDL and triglycerides.
High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia): total cholesterol above 200 mg/dL, in adults or children.
Risk factors
- Health conditions: type 2 diabetes, obesity.
- Lifestyle: a diet high in saturated and trans fats; too little activity.
- Family history.
You can't change your age or family history, but you can change the rest.
What it does
High cholesterol builds plaque on artery walls. Over time the arteries narrow, cutting blood flow to the heart and other organs. Blocked flow to the heart can cause chest pain (angina) or a heart attack. High cholesterol also raises the risk of heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in the U.S.
Prevention and testing
- Strong evidence links eating less dietary cholesterol with lower cardiovascular risk. See how to prevent, treat and manage high cholesterol, and what raises your risk.
- The only way to know your cholesterol is to get it checked. Ask your health care team how often.
More: MedlinePlus: cholesterol · NHLBI: high blood cholesterol · Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025
Sources
Based on "About Cholesterol," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. A stock illustration is left out.
Лицензия: CC0 1.0 (общественное достояние) · По материалам www.cdc.gov
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