What is high cholesterol? If you have too much cholesterol, it
starts to build up in your arteries. (Arteries are the blood
vessels that carry blood away from the heart.) This is called
hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. It is usually a
slow process that gets worse as you get older. To understand
what happens, think about how a clog forms in the pipe under a
kitchen sink. Like the buildup of grease in the pipe, the
buildup of cholesterol narrows your arteries and makes it harder
for blood to flow through them. It reduces the amount of blood
that gets to your body tissues, including your heart. This can
lead to serious problems, including heart attack and stroke.
Your cholesterol is measured by a blood test: - High cholesterol
is 240 or above. - Borderline-high is 200 to 239. - Best is less
than 200. What are the different kinds of cholesterol? - LDL is
the “bad” cholesterol, the kind that can clog your arteries.
This is the cholesterol you need to lower, if you have high
cholesterol. - HDL is the