In brief
Too much LDL ('bad') cholesterol in the blood. It can cause fatty plaque in artery walls and raises the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Statins work by slowing the amount of cholesterol made in your liver.
- Cholesterol levels can vary by about 10 per cent from month to month, according to Pathology Tests Explained.
- Some lipid tests need fasting for 8 to 12 hours, so check with your doctor.
How it works
Most of the cholesterol in your body is made by your liver, and the rest comes from food. LDL is known as 'bad' cholesterol and HDL as 'good' cholesterol, and triglycerides are another blood fat that can raise heart disease risk. High cholesterol has no obvious symptoms, so it is found with a blood test called a lipid profile.
Causes include a diet high in saturated fats and sugars, and conditions such as obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and an underactive thyroid. Familial hypercholesterolaemia, an inherited cause, affects about 1 in 250 people. Less saturated and trans fat, more soluble fibre and plant sterols, physical activity, weight loss if needed, limiting alcohol and not smoking all help, and statins are the medicines most often used.
Connections
8 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.
High cholesterol is linked with
Most of the cholesterol in your body is made by your liver, and HDL carries cholesterol back to the liver.
High cholesterol is a complication of an underactive thyroid.
Source: healthdirect Australia, Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
High cholesterol can be lowered by
Eating less saturated and trans fat and more soluble fibre and plant sterols helps lower cholesterol.
Soluble fibre helps lower LDL cholesterol.
Sources: Better Health Channel (Victorian Government), Fibre in food; healthdirect Australia, Cholesterol
High cholesterol can lead to
Too much LDL cholesterol can cause plaque in artery walls and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
High cholesterol is measured by
The lipid profile measures different types of cholesterol and triglycerides in a blood sample.
Source: Pathology Tests Explained, Lipid profile (cholesterol and triglycerides)
High cholesterol can raise
Too much LDL cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Cholesterol; healthdirect Australia, Stroke
High cholesterol can be raised by
- Added sugar Supported
A diet high in saturated fats and sugars can raise cholesterol.
Lab tests
Medicines and supplements
General education only. Never start, stop or change a medicine without your prescriber.
Sources
Each connection above names its own source. See every source AskBioMap uses.
Summarised from healthdirect and Pathology Tests Explained. Sources read on 16 and 19 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.