• High cholesterol is when you have too much of a fatty substance called cholesterol in your blood.
  • It’s mainly caused by eating fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol.
  • You can lower your cholesterol by eating healthily and getting more exercise. Some people also need to take medicine.
  • Too much cholesterol can block your blood vessels. It makes you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke.
  • High cholesterol does not cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test.