Cholesterol is a fat-like nutrient used by the body to help make hormones and build cell walls.
The body makes all the cholesterol it needs to function properly. Cholesterol is also found in many of the foods we eat, such as meat and dairy products. This build-up is called plaque. When plaque clogs the coronary arteries, not enough blood flows to the heart. The heart muscle does not get the nutrients and oxygen it needs and part of it may die.