Cholesterol is crucial for generating hormones and building cell walls, yet too much of this fatty substance can spark heart attacks and strokes. If you’re grappling with hyperlipidemia – an overload of cholesterol – it’s collecting in your arteries, warns the Cleveland Clinic. This buildup joins forces with blood elements to form plaque, choking off your circulation over time. When these fatty deposits burst they risk clotting and unleashing cardiac meltdowns or cerebral shocks, according to the Mayo Clinic. The usual culprits of sky-high cholesterol levels range from poor diets and being overweight to doing no exercise, smoking and boozing.