What are cholesterol, lipids and atheroma?
Cholesterol is a lipid (fat chemical) that is made in the liver from fatty foods that we eat. A certain amount of cholesterol is present in the bloodstream. You need some cholesterol to keep healthy. Cholesterol is one factor involved in forming atheroma. Patches of atheroma are like small fatty lumps which develop within the inside lining of arteries (blood vessels). A patch of atheroma makes an artery narrower, which may reduce the blood flow. A build up of atheroma can cause heart diseases such as angina and heart attacks, stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA or ‘mini-stroke’), and peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of the arteries to the legs). See separate leaflet called ‘Cholesterol’ for details.
