High cholesterol is an issue that affects millions of people. Johns Hopkins Medicine says roughly 71 million Americans have high cholesterol.

Cholesterol and certain proteins known as lipoproteins are necessary for the body to function normally. Cholesterol testing measures total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). When LDL is elevated in the body, that can raise a person’s risk for various health conditions.

Peripheral artery disease: PAD is a hardening of arteries in the legs or arms that causes reduced blood flow to these areas of the body.

High blood pressure: Cholesterol and hypertension are linked. Cholesterol plaque and calcium can cause the arteries to harden and narrow so the heart has to strain to pump blood throughout the body, indicates the Cleveland Clinic.

Coronary heart disease: The main risk from high cholesterol is coronary heart disease, says WebMD. Again, cholesterol plaque can build up in the walls of the arteries and cause them to harden and restrict blood flow. Eventually arteries that feed blood to the heart can cause a partial or total blockage. Heart attack can occur if the blood is completely restricted.

Stroke: Arteries in the brain can become blocked by plaque in the blood, potentially leading to a stroke.