Knowing Your Risk for High Cholesterol
Certain health conditions, your lifestyle, and your family history can raise your risk for high cholesterol. These are called “risk factors.”
You can’t control some of these risk factors, such as your age or your family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk for high cholesterol by changing things you can control.

High cholesterol can run in families. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, you are more likely to have high cholesterol.
References
- Bucholz EM, Rodday AM, Kolor K, Khoury MJ, de Ferranti SD. Prevalence and Predictors of Cholesterol Screening, Awareness, and Statin Treatment Among US Adults With Familial Hypercholesterolemia or Other Forms of Severe Dyslipidemia (1999–2014). 2018;137:2218–2230.
- National Cholesterol Education Program. Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) Final Reportpdf iconexternal icon. 2002;106(25):3143–421.
Page last reviewed: January 31, 2020