High blood cholesterol levels

Cholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol can increase your chance of getting heart disease, stroke, and other problems.

The medical term for high blood cholesterol is lipid disorder, hyperlipidemia, or hypercholesterolemia.

Causes

There are many types of cholesterol. The ones talked about most are:

• Total cholesterol — all the cholesterols combined
• High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — often called “good” cholesterol
• Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — often called “bad” cholesterol

For many people, abnormal cholesterol levels are partly due to an unhealthy lifestyle. This often includes eating a diet that is high in fat. Other lifestyle factors are:

• Being overweight
• Lack of exercise

Some health conditions can also lead to abnormal cholesterol, including:

• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Pregnancy and other conditions that increase levels of female hormones
• Underactive thyroid gland

Medicines such as certain birth control pills, diuretics (water pills), beta-blockers, and some medicines used to treat depression may also raise cholesterol levels. Several disorders that are passed down through families lead to abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They include:

• Familial combined hyperlipidemia
• Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia
• Familial hypercholesterolemia
• Familial hypertriglyceridemia

Smoking does not cause higher cholesterol levels, but it can reduce your HDL (good) cholesterol.