Having too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to hardening and narrowing of the arteries.

There are two types of cholesterol in the body, ‘good cholesterol’ high density lipoprotein (HDL) and ‘bad cholesterol’ low density lipoprotein (LDL). It’s the balance of the two that can cause problems when there is too much of the bad cholesterol.

Cholesterol levels can vary according to a number of factors both genetic and environmental. You can’t tell if you have a high cholesterol level, but a high level along with other factors can significantly affect your likelihood of developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Diagnosis is usually made through a blood test which measures the levels of both good and bad cholesterol in the blood. There are medications which lower the cholesterol in the body. These are usually part of an overall treatment programme including diet and exercise.