Picture of Cholesterol
![Cholesterol Illustration](https://images.emedicinehealth.com/images/featured/detail_artery_wall_plaque.jpg)
Cholesterol is an essential fatty substance that the body needs for many functions including building cells and manufacturing hormones. Cholesterol exists in different forms. High levels of the so-called “bad” cholesterol -- LDL cholesterol – are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Excess LDL cholesterol sticks to coronary artery walls causing a buildup of hard plaques. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is the process of plaque buildup that causes a thickening and narrowing of the blood vessels.
Image Source: MedicineNet, Inc.
Text Reference: "High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know." National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Text Reference: "High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know." National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.