High Cholesterol:
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring waxy, fat-like substance that is present in your blood and in the body's cells. It is both made by the body itself and brought into the body through eating foods such as animal meats, which contains various levels of cholesterol. Cholesterol is a necessary element in the proper functioning of your body. However, when cholesterol levels become too high, they can result in the buildup of plaque on the walls of the arteries and block the flow of blood to vital organs. This can lead to the development of serious conditions, such as atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), blood clots, hypertension, heart disease, heart attack (myocardial infarction), and stroke.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women and men in the United States. More than a million Americans have heart attacks, and about a half million people die from heart disease every year, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute.

High Cholesterol treatment:
Treatment for high cholesterol often begins with preventive efforts that can reduce cholesterol levels. This includes regular exercise, not smoking or drinking excessively, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a heart-healthy well-balanced diet. A heart healthy diet is rich in fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains and includes low-fat or no-fat dairy products and moderate quantities of healthy meats. Eating right is an important key to keeping cholesterol levels in check. Although most people view fat as a bad part of their diet, a certain amount of fat intake is necessary for health body functioning. The American Heart Association recommends that you keep your total fat intake between 25 and 35 percent of calories. Most of the fats you use should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are considered the "healthier" fats that can actually help to lower cholesterol levels. They include fats from fish, nuts and vegetable oils, such as salmon, trout, herring, avocados, olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils.

It is also recommended that you avoid or minimize intake of foods high in saturated and trans fats. Foods high in trans fats include those made with partially hydrogenated oils such as baked goods, doughnuts, fried foods, shortening and some margarines and dairy products. Foods high in saturated fats include those processed from animals, including beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. Although fruits and vegetables are generally low in cholesterol and saturated fats, some foods from plants do contain significant amounts of saturated fat. These are the "tropical oils", such as coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter.

For people who are unable to lower cholesterol levels to a healthy level through diet, exercise, and addressing unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, treatment of high cholesterol also includes medication. For some people with serious risk factors for heart disease, such as hypertension, obesity, and a strong family history, medication may be recommended in conjunction with lifestyle and diet modification.

The most commonly prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs are the statins. Statins act to prevent formation of cholesterol in the liver, which produces cholesterol within body in addition to the cholesterol that is ingested through food. Statins are extremely effective at lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol. They can also lower triglycerides (blood fats) and raise the HDL (good) cholesterol. New research is also finding that statins create an anti-inflammatory effect on the arteries that further lowers the risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Statins have also been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who do not have high cholesterol but are at risk for cardiovascular disease due to other factors.

Other medications include selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors, which lower cholesterol by preventing its absorption in the intestine from ingested cholesterol-containing foods. Niacin is a medication that works in the liver by affecting the production of blood fats. Other cholesterol lowering drugs include resins, which increase the elimination of LDL cholesterol in the intestines, and fibrates, which lower triglycerides.

The type, dose, and possible combination of medications used to treat cholesterol levels are determined by a health care professional based on each individual's unique cholesterol levels, family history, lifestyle, and other factors.