Understanding Cholesterol
Cholesterol Quiz An excess of cholesterol can build up in the arteries, narrowing them and slowing or blocking blood flow to the heart. Take this quiz to learn more about cholesterol and its role in your health. |
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Cholesterol Cholesterol is essential to life. But too much cholesterol in the blood is linked heart disease and stroke. Watch this Cholesterol animation to learn how cholesterol works in the body and what steps you can take to make healthy lifestyle changes. |
Cholesterol Screening Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones and to keep your cells healthy. Cholesterol comes from two sources: your liver and your diet. However, if your diet exceeds the body’s need for cholesterol or saturated fats, your cholesterol level in your blood will increase. This video discusses treatments and lifestyle changes that may be prescribed by your doctor. |
Heart Disease Risk Factors Clinical Wizard Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. Research has found that the risk of developing heart disease not only increases with the number of risk factors, but also with the level of severity of each risk factor. One of the ways you can help prevent heart disease is by knowing your risk factors. Learn more by participating in our Heart Disease Risk Factors Multimedia Interactive Program. |
Did You Know?
Cholesterol medications help protect people with high cholesterol against stroke, but a fair number of Americans who need these drugs aren't getting them or aren't taking enough of them to reduce their risk. A 2007 study in the journal Neurology found that more than a quarter of stroke victims had high cholesterol levels.
What is Cholesterol?
Beyond Cholesterol
Scientists have learned that other substances may give you and your doctor new clues about your heart disease risk. And that's good news. Coronary heart disease, in which fatty deposits build up in your arteries, is the nation's top killer.
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Why Control Cholesterol
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis caused by a build-up of plaque in the inner lining of an artery.
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Coronary Heart Disease
A person with coronary heart disease has an accumulation of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries. These deposits narrow the arteries and can decrease or block the flow of blood to the heart.
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Diabetes and Heart Disease
Diabetes affects the cardiovascular system, but many problems aren't apparent until a person has a heart attack or stroke.
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Metabolic Syndrome
Most people who have metabolic syndrome have insulin resistance. This may be a beginning of the development of type 2 diabetes.
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Risk Factors for Stroke
The most important controllable risk factor for stroke is controlling high blood pressure. Blood pressure of 140/90 or higher can damage the arteries that supply blood to the brain.
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Strategies for Managing Cholesterol
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Anger Can Raise Cholesterol Levels
There's evidence that people who respond rigidly to anger-provoking events are likely to wind up with significantly elevated levels of heart-damaging cholesterol.
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Heart Disease Worksheet
It's important to get regular checkups and periodic exams, especially when you have cardiovascular disease.
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