It is only when there is too much bad cholesterol in your blood (hypercholesterolaemia) that your risk of a heart attack, heart disease and stroke are increased. Excess LDL-cholesterol, which is left behind in your arteries, including the small arteries supplying the heart, cause narrowing and blockages of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
When the heart arteries become clogged, not enough blood can flow through them to reach the heart. This results in chest pain (angina). When the artery is completely cut off by a total blockage (e.g. a blood clot forming on top of the cholesterol deposit), the result is a heart attack.
High cholesterol in itself does not cause symptoms (it shows no signs of its presence), leaving a lot of people UNAWARE of the fact that they actually do have high cholesterol. This is why it is important for you to find out what your cholesterol levels are, because by lowering cholesterol that is too high you can lessen your risk for developing heart disease and suffering from a heart attack or stroke.
If you think that someone you know is experiencing symptoms of heart failure,…
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Dr Julien Trokis is a diabetologist, in practice at the Diabetes Care Centre,…
