Overview
High cholesterol means too much fatty substance circulating in the blood, quietly clogging arteries over years and raising the risk of heart attack and stroke. It causes no symptoms and is found only by a blood test. Diet, exercise and, when needed, daily tablets bring it down effectively.
Symptoms
- No symptoms in almost all cases
- Detected only on a blood lipid test
- Rarely, fatty deposits around the eyes or tendons
- Complications (chest pain, stroke) appear after years of damage
Causes & risk factors
- Diet high in fried foods, red meat and processed snacks
- Obesity and physical inactivity
- Family history (inherited high cholesterol)
- Diabetes, hypothyroidism and kidney disease
- Smoking lowers protective cholesterol
Treatment & self-care
Cut down fried and fatty foods, eat more vegetables, beans, fish and whole grains, exercise regularly and stop smoking. If levels stay high or your overall heart risk is significant, doctors prescribe daily cholesterol-lowering tablets and monitor with periodic blood tests. Treatment is long-term, not a one-off cleanse.
See a doctor urgently if
- You are over 40 and have never had a lipid test
- You have hypertension, diabetes or a family history of early heart disease
- Chest pain on exertion
- You stopped your cholesterol tablets without medical advice