Vascular Disease Patient Information Page: Understanding cholesterol

What is cholesterol?What are lipids?Why are they important?Cholesterol and other lipids are fat-like, waxy substances that circulate through the blood.Although the terms 'cholesterol' and 'lipids' are sometimes used to mean the same thing, cholesterol is one type of lipid that is commonly monitored on blood testing because of its effects on cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) health.Cholesterol is made by the liver and is also consumed through foods in the diet.A certain amount of cholesterol within the body is normal -cholesterol is used to build cells and hormones for normal functioning.Elevated lipid levels (called 'hyperlipidemia') or imbalanced lipid levels ('dyslipidemia') can lead to heart and blood vessel disease, such as heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease (PAD).Hyperlipidemia and dyslipidemia are the medical terms used to describe cholesterol and lipid problems.It is important to recognize and treat these conditions to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.