Hypercholesterolemia - The Oily Stuff

Cholesterol is a natural fat-like substance in our body. A substantial amount of cholesterol is needed for our body for its daily normal metabolism such as producing hormones and forming structure of brains and nervous system. Elevated cholesterol levels in the blood (hypercholesterolemia) can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as stroke or heart attack.

High levels of cholesterol can be detected with a simple blood test. One must be aware if there are family histories of high cholesterol, you have a sedentary lifestyle (overweight), you are a smoker or your diet is rich in fats.

Cholesterol level can be controlled by exercising and a diet rich in vegetables and fruits. Otherwise the doctor will need to prescribe you with lipid-lowering drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor) or others.