This risk can be lowered substantially by reducing blood cholesterol levels, in some cases, simply changing your diet and getting more exercise can bring blood cholesterol levels down to a safer rang. However, for many people, diet and exercise just aren t enough. Fortunately, there are now medications available that can bring cholesterol levels down. Your health care provider has prescribed one such medication for you. This booklet will provide some basic background information about cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is needed to build cells and manufacture hormones.
You obtain some cholesterol from the foods you eat, but the body also produces cholesterol. The liver is one of the main sites where cholesterol is produced. Cholesterol levels are determined partly by a person s genetic makeup and partly by the amount of fat and cholesterol in the diet. Other factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, can also increase cholesterol levels, but sometimes these factors have nothing to do with a person s cholesterol level. A person may be very thin and physically active and till have a high cholesterol level.