High Cholesterol
A high cholesterol report rarely causes any symptoms at all. The real question is not the number by itself, but your overall heart risk.
Medically reviewed by the RIIMS medical team · Last updated: June 2026
Go to hospital now
- Chest discomfort lasting more than a few minutes, or spreading to an arm, the back, neck, jaw or stomach: treat as a possible heart attack and call your local emergency number (in most of India, 108 or 112) immediately
- Sudden weakness, slurred speech or facial drooping, which are possible stroke signs
See a doctor soon (not an emergency)
- A parent, sibling or child who had a heart attack before 55 (men) or 65 (women)
- Very high triglycerides found alongside high cholesterol on the same report
What does a high cholesterol report mean?
Cholesterol travels in the blood packaged inside particles called lipoproteins. LDL, often called bad cholesterol, carries cholesterol toward the arteries, where it can build up in the artery wall over years. HDL, often called good cholesterol, carries cholesterol away, back to the liver. A high cholesterol reading causes no symptoms in almost all cases; it is found on a blood test, not felt. Indians tend to show a particular pattern: research comparing Asian Indians with other populations consistently finds higher triglycerides and lower HDL, with LDL only moderately raised, rather than the very high LDL pattern more common in the West. This matters for how a report should be read, because no single number, LDL included, tells the whole story on its own. What actually predicts your risk of a heart attack or stroke is your overall profile, taken together with your age, blood pressure, diabetes status, smoking and family history, not the LDL figure in isolation. One family history detail is worth asking about specifically: a parent or sibling who had a heart attack before 55 (men) or 65 (women) can point to familial hypercholesterolaemia, an inherited condition that raises cholesterol from a young age and is worth a dedicated blood test and discussion with a doctor, for you and for other family members.
Symptoms to watch for
- No symptoms in almost all cases; found only on a blood test
- Very rarely, small yellowish deposits around the eyelids or in the skin in long-standing, very high cholesterol
- A family history of heart attack before 55 (men) or 65 (women)
- Often found alongside high blood pressure, diabetes or a large waist
- No warning even with significant artery involvement, until a heart attack or stroke occurs
- Discovered incidentally during a routine health check
When to consult a doctor
Most adults should have a lipid profile checked periodically as part of general health screening, more often with diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of early heart disease. Ask specifically about your triglycerides and HDL, not only LDL, and mention any early heart attacks in your family.