What is the role of cholesterol in heart disease?
While necessary in limited amounts for proper body function, cholesterol contributes to the development of heart disease when too much collects in the body for a long period of time. Cholesterol can cause life-threatening artery blockage when it builds up and hardens within blood pathways as plaque.Cholesterol and PlaqueBecause cholesterol does not dissolve in blood, the American Heart Association warns that high levels of bad cholesterol combined with low levels of good cholesterol can produce a condition called atherosclerosis in which the arteries harden with plaque. This can lead to heart disease, stroke and heart attack.Good and Bad CholesterolTwo kinds of cholesterol exist: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL, known as “bad” cholesterol, facilitates the formation of plaque in arteries. HDL, or “good” cholesterol, works to remove cholesterol from blood pathways and out of the body through the liver.TriglyceridesBlood tests that measure total chole
