Why is high cholesterol a health risk?
A healthy artery has a smooth, even surface. When too much cholesterol builds up in the wall of your arteries, thick deposits called plaque form. Plaque buildup narrows the width of an artery. When this happens, your heart must work harder to force blood through it. Plaque can also break off and form clots. When this happens in a major artery supplying the heart or brain, the blood and oxygen flow can be significantly decreased. The result can be a heart attack or stroke.
