• Definition
· Cholesterol is a complex fat molecule which has many important functions.
· Cholesterol is important to normal cellular metabolism.
· Cholesterol is essential in the formation of all cell membranes and is used to make steroid hormones.
· Cholesterol is part bile and is used to make the myelin insulating sheath around nerve cells.

• Overview
· Cholesterol is a fat and is transported in blood within a protein complex called a lipoprotein.
· Although elevated cholesterol levels are strongly associated with plaque and vascular disease, heart attacks and strokes, the exact mechanism of how this happens in not known.
· There is a complex interaction between the lipoproteins that carry cholesterol, the inside surface of arteries, and the ultimate development of plaque.
· Reducing cholesterol levels by diet and medications will lead to less arterial plaque and heart disease and stroke.
· The is also a strong association between chronic inflammation and the development of plaque in arteries. A blood test can measure vascular inflammation to determine your risk.

• Types
· Bad cholesterol
Bad cholesterol refers to the protein (low density lipoprotein LDL) that carries most of the cholesterol in the blood.

· Good cholesterol refers to the high density lipoprotein (HDL). This is a dense particle containing cholesterol inside that may scavenge cholesterol from plaque in the arterial wall.

· Lipoproteins (good and bad cholesterol) are usually classified on the basis of density, which is determined by the amounts of triglyceride (a fat which makes them less dense) and apoproteins (a protein which makes them more dense).

• Complications
The complications of cholesterol is vascular disease, plaque build up in the wall of arteries and obstruction of the artery which causes stroke of heart attack.

• Treatment
· Diet:
Diets that are low in fats and high in fiber are associated with lower amounts of bad cholesterol.

· Medication:
Statin medications like Lipitor, Zocor, Mevacor, Lovastatin, and Crestor inhibit an enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) that makes cholesterol.
Statin medication therefore inhibit the production of cholesterol.
Many studies have shown that using statin medications decreases the risk of developing a stroke or heart attack.
Statin medications have also been shown to decrease the amount of plaque found in arteries over time.