Overview
Diabetes with high cholesterol is common, especially with certain risk factors. High cholesterol is when there is too much bad cholesterol (LDL) or too little good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. This occurs as diabetes interferes with the synthesis and absorption of cholesterol causing the levels of HDL to be low and the levels of LDL and triglyceride to be high. Risk factors of diabetes with high cholesterol include family history, obesity, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and alcohol consumption. Diabetes with high cholesterol can affect the blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke. This is because high cholesterol levels lead to a build-up of fats in the blood vessels and form plaques which then causes the narrowing of the affected vessels. It is important to manage these conditions by monitoring the levels often, controlling the blood glucose levels, have a balanced diet, exercising, reducing weight, quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption.
