Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in your blood. If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can raise your risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
One of the things that matters to your heart health is cholesterol.
Cholesterol is something that is found in your blood. The right kind is good for you, but too much can cause problems for your heart health.
You might not be able to tell if you have high cholesterol, because often it has no symptoms, and you will need a blood test to find out.
Frequently asked questions
- Eating too much saturated fat, which can often be found in foods that are processed or fried
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Being overweight
- Being less active
- Sometimes a genetic condition called Familial Hypercholesterolaemia can cause high cholesterol, you can find out more about this below.
- Know your cholesterol, if you are worried about this contact your GP to talk about having a test.
- Eating less saturated fats such as butter, ghee, cream, fatty meats, fried foods and foods that are high in sugar.
- If you are able to, take part in more exercise activities.
- Quit smoking
- Reduce how much alcohol you drink
Following a small blood test, your healthcare provider will discuss the results. If you have high cholesterol your GP will discuss ways you can improve your cholesterol through lifestyle and diet.
Sometimes cholesterol may need to be controlled using a group of medicines called statins, your healthcare provider will discuss this with you and prescribe statins if it is the right choice for you.