High cholesterol is when you have too much cholesterol in your blood. It can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. 

Cholesterol is carried around your body by proteins in your blood. When cholesterol and proteins combine, they’re called lipoproteins. There are two main types of lipoproteins, you may hear them being called good and bad cholesterol.

Some people are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a genetic condition where your liver can't process cholesterol properly. This leads to a high level of cholesterol in your blood. There is more information on FH on the British Heart Foundation website.

Living a healthy lifestyle can help to lower your risk of heart and circulatory disease, or you might need medicine to lower your cholesterol if:

• your cholesterol level has not gone down after changing your diet and lifestyle
• you're at a high risk of having a heart attack or stroke

You can find more information about medication to lower your cholesterol on the NHS website. Ask your doctor about the medicines you can take.

Statins are medicines used to lower cholesterol. High cholesterol increases the risk of heart problems and stroke, but taking statins can help prevent these conditions. Find out how they work on the NHS website.

A QRISK score is used to estimate your risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years. It works by using information about your health to work out your risk.

Find out how QRISK works on the British Heart Foundation website.

NHS Health Checks 

The NHS Health Check is a free check-up of the health of your heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular health). It can tell you whether you're at higher risk of getting certain health problems. Find out more about the NHS Health Check on the NHS website.

NHS App

Use the NHS App to manage your healthcare using a phone, tablet or computer. Find out more information about the NHS App on the NHS website.

Healthy Fakeaway recipes

Discover heart-healthy fakeaways that are budget-friendly from the British Hert Foundation.

Cholesterol and the menopause

Menopause can cause some women to gain weight and cholesterol levels to rise. Find out more information on the Heart UK website.

Stop Smoking service

Stopping smoking can improve your health in many ways, including your cholesterol. Everyone Health Southend can help you start your quit journey.