Dyslipidaemia

Cholesterol is a fatty substance the body uses to make hormones and metabolise food. While the body needs cholesterol to continue building healthy cells, having high cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease.

When a person has high cholesterol, he/she may develop fatty deposits in the blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits make it difficult for enough blood to flow through the arteries. The heart may not get as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs, which increases the risk of a heart attack. Decreased blood flow to the brain can also cause a stroke.

Dyslipidaemia and obesity

Obesity is linked to higher triglycerides and higher “bad” cholesterol levels, and lower “good” cholesterol levels. This increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

In fact, body weight has a direct association with cardiovascular risk factors, including high cholesterol. This means that as weight increases, so does LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

For more information on dyslipidaemia please see the European Society of Cardiology.