It is the cause of most heart attacks and strokes. A low level of HDL increases your risk of heart disease. This weakens the artery wall and reduces blood flow. If the wall breaks and bleeds, platelets will gather to stop the bleeding, closing off and possibly blocking the artery completely. The result is a heart attack or stroke.
Triglycerides are a component of cholesterol.
High levels of triglycerides can also increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. If your triglycerides are already higher than normal, alcohol consumption will cause them to increase even higher. Discuss alcohol consumption with you doctor. In fact, you may not find out that your cholesterol levels are abnormal until you have had an episode of angina or a heart attack. Your doctor will discuss the results of your blood tests with you and arrange for follow-up cholesterol testing if necessary.