Can high cholesterol cause a heart attack?

Some cholesterol can enter the artery wall and contribute to a plaque deposit. A deposit may narrow the channel gradually and can sometimes become unstable. If a clot forms over a damaged deposit and obstructs blood flow through a coronary artery, part of the heart muscle may be starved of oxygen; this is a heart attack. High cholesterol is one risk factor among several, including smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, age and family history. A cholesterol result alone cannot confirm that a heart attack is happening.

Book a routine appointment to review a high cholesterol result and your wider cardiovascular risk. Your clinician may discuss food choices, physical activity, smoking cessation, weight, blood pressure and medicines where suitable. Keep a list of medicines and relevant family history for the appointment. If you have already been prescribed a cholesterol-lowering medicine, use it according to the instructions and discuss side effects rather than stopping it on your own.

Call emergency services immediately for pressure, squeezing or pain in the chest, especially when it spreads to an arm, jaw, back or shoulder. Breathlessness, cold sweating, nausea, faintness or sudden unusual weakness can also accompany a heart attack. Symptoms may be less typical in some people, so do not wait for them to become severe or try to diagnose them from a cholesterol reading.

Ask which cholesterol measure needs attention, how your other health conditions alter risk, and whether you need treatment or further assessment. Ask for a clear emergency plan if you develop chest symptoms.