What are the “symptoms” of deranged cholesterol/triglycerides?

1. “Ignorance is Bliss”- An appropriate description for many today who suffer from high cholesterol but are completely unaware about it.

   High Cholesterol and coronary disease is a non-discriminatory “silent killer” which won’t give a warning sign until it’s almost too late. Hence, regular screening by conducting blood tests is recommended. The blood test is called a lipid profile.

2. Yellowish deposits on the eyelids are called Xanthelasmas and sometimes nodular deposits called Xanthomas can be seen in the tendons near the calves, elbows and dorsum of hands.

The famous Mona Lisa by Da Vinci shows deposits near the left eye and the dorsum of her right hand.

How does dholesterol cause heart disease?

Excess cholesterol in your blood starts piling in the walls of the arteries. Over time, this buildup causes “hardening of the arteries” and formation of a plaque so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down or blocked.

The blood also carries oxygen to the heart. A narrowed artery can lead to reduced oxygen and blood to a part of the heart causing heart disease while complete obstruction of an artery of the heart can cause a heart attack.