You need a blood test to check your cholesterol. A cholesterol test also called a lipid panel. Measures all the fat in your blood including total LDL and HDL cholesterol. High cholesterol levels don’t make you feel sick so the blood test is the only way to know your cholesterol levels.
Having high cholesterol can lead to a build of a plaque in artery walls. This build up is called Atherosclerosis. It can lead to:
- Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
- Heart Attack
- Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- Peripheral Arterial Disease
Atherosclerosis can cause these problems because it narrows your arteries. When enough plaque builds up it starts to narrow your arteries. This happens slowly over many years. In time the plaque can limit blood flow throughout your body including the heart and brain. A healthy artery can widen daily so that more blood can flow through when needed, such as during activity. When a heart plaque forms in the walls of an artery it can make the artery too stiff to one. This hardening of your arteries can also limit blood flow on your body, blocks your arteries.
When a blood clot forms around the crack it can block the artery, it can cause a heart attack or Stroke.
Disclaimer: This is for informational and educational purposes only. Always consult health Professionals for advice and questions regarding health conditions.
Shafayef 