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An unhealthy lifestyle is the most common cause of high \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol or low \u201cgood\u201d HDL cholesterol. However, genes that you inherit from your parents, other medical conditions, and some medicines may also cause unhealthy cholesterol levels.
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Unhealthy lifestyle habits
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Unhealthy habits such as these are a common cause of unhealthy cholesterol levels:
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\n - Eating a lot of foods high in saturated fats or trans fats, which increase \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats are found in fatty cuts of meat and dairy products. No more than 10% of your daily calories should come from saturated fats. Trans fats are often found in packaged snacks or desserts. Read the label and eat as little food with trans fats as possible.
\n - Lack of physical activity, such as spending a lot of time in front of a TV or computer. These patterns are linked with lower levels of \u201cgood\u201d HDL cholesterol.
\n - Smoking, which lowers HDL cholesterol, particularly in women, and raises LDL cholesterol.
\n - Stress, which may raise levels of certain hormones , such as corticosteroids . These can cause your body to make more cholesterol.
\n - Drinking too much alcohol or binge drinking, which can raise your total cholesterol level.
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Learn about heart-healthy lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk for high blood cholesterol.
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Genes
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Some people may develop high \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol because of mutations, or changes, in their genes. These may be passed from parent to child, which can cause familial hypercholesterolemia. If you have a family history of high blood cholesterol, it may be more difficult for your body to remove LDL cholesterol from your blood or break it down in the liver.
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Other medical conditions
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Some medical conditions may raise LDL cholesterol levels or lower HDL cholesterol.
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Medicines
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Some medicines that you take for other health problems can raise your level of \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol or lower your level of \u201cgood\u201d HDL cholesterol.
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\n - Antiretroviral medicines used to treat HIV
\n - Arrhythmia medicines, such as amiodarone
\n - Beta-blockers for relieving angina chest pain or treating high blood pressure
\n - Chemotherapy medicines used to treat cancer
\n - Diuretics such as thiazide to treat high blood pressure
\n - Immunosuppressive medicines, such as cyclosporine, to treat inflammatory diseases or to prevent rejection after organ transplant
\n - Retinoids to treat acne
\n - Steroids, such as prednisone, to treat inflammatory diseases including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis
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