About high cholesterol 

About  two in three adults have a  cholesterol level  that is higher than recommended. Having high cholesterol affects your heart  and blood vessels and increases your  risk of developing cardiovascular  disease (CVD). High  cholesterol causes fatty deposits (known as plaques)  to build up inside your blood vessels. 

In time,  the blood vessels supplying your  heart may become so narrow that they can't deliver enough oxygen to the heart muscle, particularly when you're exerting yourself. This can cause you  to feel chest pain (angina). If a fatty plaque breaks off, it may cause a blood clot which can block blood flow to your  heart (heart attack) or brain (stroke). 

Types  of cholesterol

Cholesterol  is transported around your body attached to a protein in your blood. This combination of fat  and protein  is called a lipoprotein. There are different types of lipoprotein, depending on how much fat there is in relation to protein. 

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) 

A small amount of  cholesterol is transported as HDL, which is mostly protein and  not much fat. The role of HDL  is to transport excess cholesterol from  the tissues (including the walls of arteries) to the liver for disposal. As  HDL helps prevent  cholesterol building up in your blood vessels, you have  a decreased risk  of heart disease if you have high levels of this type. HDL  is considered to be the "good" type  of cholesterol. Women tend to have higher  HDL levels than men. HDL can be increased by physical exercise. 

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) 

Most  of your body's  cholesterol (around 70 percent) is transported in this form. It consists mainly of fat, with not much protein. LDLs are chiefly involved in transporting cholesterol from the liver  to the cells. High levels  of LDL are associated with an increased risk of CVD as LDL causes cholesterol to be deposited  in your blood vessels. LDL is considered  to be the "bad" type of cholesterol. 

VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) and chylomicrons 

These lipoproteins account  for a small percentage of your body's cholesterol, but they are rich in triglycerides and transport them to  the tissues. 

Triglycerides  

Triglycerides are a different type of fat, mostly coming from fats in your food. Energy from food that  is eaten and  not used immediately is converted into triglycerides and transported to fat cells for storage. This provides you with an important source of stored energy. 

Although most triglycerides are stored as fat, low levels are also found  in your blood. A raised level of blood triglycerides together with high LDL can increase your  risk of heart disease, particularly if you have diabetes. 

Total cholesterol (TC) 

Having  a high TC  level is a risk factor for future health problems. However, it's important  to consider  the relative amounts  of HDL  and LDL. This is often referred  to as  the TC:HDL ratio. You should aim for a high level  of HDL  and a low level of LDL (a low TC:HDL ratio).