High cholesterol levels can cause
Atherosclerosis -
narrowing of the arteries.
Higher coronary
heart disease risk - an abnormality of the arteries that supply blood and
oxygen to the heart.
Heart attack - occurs
when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked,
usually by a clot in a coronary artery. This causes your heart muscle to die.
Angina - chest
pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood.
Other
cardiovascular conditions - diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Stroke and
mini-stroke - occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or vein, interrupting
the flow to an area of the brain. Can also occur when a blood vessel breaks. Brain
cells begin to die.
If both blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels are high,
the risk of developing coronary heart disease rises significantly.