High Cholesterol: What It Means and What to Do Next

High cholesterol (total above 200 mg/dL or LDL above 130 mg/dL) increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. It causes no symptoms, making lab testing the only way to detect it. Lifestyle changes and statin medications effectively lower high cholesterol.

What Causes High Cholesterol?

Diet

Saturated fat, trans fat, and excess calories raise LDL cholesterol. The typical American diet is a primary contributor.

Genetics

Familial hypercholesterolemia affects about 1 in 250 people and causes very high LDL from birth.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Lack of exercise raises LDL and lowers protective HDL cholesterol.

Obesity

Excess weight raises triglycerides and LDL while lowering HDL.

Hypothyroidism

Underactive thyroid slows cholesterol clearance, causing elevated LDL. Always check TSH when cholesterol is high.

Associated Symptoms

None — high cholesterol is a "silent" conditionOnly detected through blood testsLong-term: chest pain, heart attack, stroke if untreated

What to Do Next

1. Retest to confirm

A single abnormal result should be confirmed with a repeat test. Temporary factors like stress, illness, or medications can affect results.

Reorder Cholesterol

2. Related tests to consider

ApoB

$20

Measures ApoB protein found on LDL particles. Better predictor of cardiovascular risk than LDL-C alo...

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Lp(a)

$18

Genetic marker for cardiovascular risk. Elevated Lp(a) increases risk of heart disease independent o...

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hs-CRP

$13

Measures inflammation marker associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Low-grade inflammation ind...

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TSH

$8

Measures thyroid-stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. TSH is the most sensitive marker ...

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3. When to see a doctor

If your Cholesterol is significantly abnormal, if you have severe symptoms, or if repeated results confirm the abnormality, consult a healthcare professional for appropriate evaluation and treatment.

See Cholesterol normal ranges →

Related Conditions

High CholesterolHypertension (High Blood Pressure)Hypothyroidism

Frequently Asked Questions

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This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider for interpretation of your results.

Content reviewed for accuracy by the JustLabs editorial team.