Information on Various Common Ailments

Acne
Alcoholism
Amnesia
Anaemia
Anorexia
Appendicitis
Areriosclerosis
Arthritis
Asthma
Backache
Boils
Bronchitis
Cataract
Cholera
Cirrhosis
Colitis
Conjuctivitis
Corns
Coronary Heart Disease
Cough
Cystitis
Dandruff
Defective Vision
Depression
Diabetes Mellitus
Dysmenorrhoea
Diarrhoea
Female Sterility
Fever
Gall Bladder Disorders
Gastritis
Goitre
Gout
Hair Loss
Halitosis
Headaches
High Blood Cholesterol
High Blood Pressure
Hives
Hypoglycemia
Hypertension
Influenza
Insomania
Jaundice
Kidney Stones
Leucorrhoea
Low Blood Pressure
Malaria
Measles
Menopausal Disorders
Migraine
Mumps
Nausea
Nephritis
Obesity
Palpitation
Peptic Ulcer
Piles
Pneumonia
Psoriasis
Ringworm
Scurvy
Sinusitis
Smallpox
Snoring
Sore Throat
Stress
Tonsillitis
Toothache
Tuberculosis
Urinary Tract Infection
Urticaria
Varicose Veins
Vision Impairment
Warts
Whooping Cough

High Blood Cholesterol - Introduction

Alternative Name: Hypercholesterolemia

Definition:

Hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol), is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a type of fat made by the body itself. It is essential for good health and is found in every cell in the body. However, a high cholesterol level in the blood is associated with an increased risk of many serious problems.

It is not a disease but a metabolic derangement that can be secondary to many diseases. When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it may build up in the walls of your arteries, and cause atherosclerosis thereby narrowing the arteries and giving less space for the blood to pass over.

High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. Total blood cholesterol levels above 5.5 mmol/L are an indication of a greatly increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. Levels above 6.5 mmol/L are considered to indicate extremely high risk.