What's
the Difference Between LDL and HDL Cholesterol?
LDL
cholesterol is considered bad cholesterol.
When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up
in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with
other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those
arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks
a narrowed artery, it can cause a heart attack or stroke.
HDL
cholesterol is considered good cholesterol.
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density
lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as the "good" cholesterol
because a high level of it seems to protect against heart attack. Medical experts
think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to
the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some believe that HDL removes excess
cholesterol from plaque in arteries, thus slowing the buildup.
