High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart attack, the leading cause of death in America. Cholesterol is a waxy substance your body produces to help it function properly. Because your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs, you don't need to consume additional cholesterol.

In certain cases, it is possible that you may not need drugs to keep your cholesterol in check.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that travels in your bloodstream. When you have high cholesterol, it builds up in the walls of your blood vessels. This makes the blood vessels narrower and blood flow decrease. Then you could have a heart attack or a stroke.

High cholesterol contributes to heart disease, which kills more Americans than all cancers combined.

According to the American Heart Association, there are five main types of cholesterol-lowering medications.

The amount of cholesterol in your blood has a lot to do with your chances of getting heart disease.