However, too much cholesterol can lead to heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Heart attacks kill nearly 500,000 men and women each year. High levels of LDL can cause cholesterol to deposit in blood vessels, clogging the arteries. The risk for heart disease increases as levels of LDL increase and as levels of HDL decrease.
Lipid disorders are risk factors for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.
These risk factors include tobacco use, diabetes, a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against measuring triglycerides. Heart disease may be the first sign of abnormal cholesterol levels. Screening can detect cholesterol abnormalities and lead to treatment before heart disease develops or worsens. Screening can detect cholesterol abnormalities before heart disease develops or worsens.