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Having high cholesterol affects your heart and blood vessels and increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). |
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High cholesterol causes fatty deposits (known as plaques) to build up inside your blood vessels. |
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If a fatty plaque breaks off, it may cause a blood clot which can block blood flow to your heart (heart attack) or brain (stroke). |
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Causes of high cholesterol |
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a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol |
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a lack of exercise - this can increase your LDL levels and decrease your HDL levels |
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family history - you're more likely to have high cholesterol if you have a close male relative aged under 55 or a female relative aged under 65 affected by heart disease |
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being overweight |
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age and gender - your cholesterol levels generally rise with increasing age, and men are more likely to be affected than women |
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drinking more than the recommended daily amount of alcohol |
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Rarely, high cholesterol can be caused by a condition which may run in your family - this is called 'familial hypercholesterolemia'. About one in 500 people have this condition. |
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Other conditions such as: |
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poorly controlled diabetes, |
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High blood pressure, |
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certain kidney and liver diseases, |
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Under active thyroid may also cause high cholesterol. |
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Cigarette smoking, |
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Low levels of HDL, |
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Sedentary lifestyle, |
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Some medicines such as beta-blockers, steroids or thiazides (a type of diuretic) may also affect blood lipid levels. |
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Symptoms of high cholesterol |
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A high cholesterol level may only be revealed if you develop symptoms of heart disease. |
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Sometimes, yellow patches (known as xanthomas) may develop around your eyes or elsewhere on your skin - these are cholesterol deposits and indicate that you have high cholesterol levels in your blood. |
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