Have you had your cholesterol levels checked lately? High cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Cardiovascular disease kills more men and women each year than any other illness.

High blood cholesterol has no warning signs. People diagnosed with high cholesterol often feel fine and therefore may not take their condition seriously.

Have your cholesterol levels checked regularly. If your level is high, there are a lot of steps you can take to lower it.

I. Let's Get Started

Step 1: The dangers of high cholesterol

Step 2: Types of cholesterol

Step 3: What causes high cholesterol?

II. Diagnosing High Cholesterol

Step 4: Symptoms of high cholesterol

Step 5: Cholesterol screening and testing

III. Managing Your Cholesterol Level

Step 6: Maintain healthy habits

Step 7: Cholesterol-lowering drugs

Step 8: You and your doctor are a team

Learn More Butter, margarine, and cooking oils: What should you use? Children can have high cholesterol, too! Drug treatments: Bile acid resins Drug treatments: Cholesterol absorption inhibitors Drug treatments: Fibrates Drug treatments: Nicotinic acid Drug treatments: Statins Drug treatments: Using more than one drug High cholesterol and memory loss

Helpful Handouts Questions to ask your doctor

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.