Understanding what cholesterol and its fractions mean is reviewed. How cholesterol is related to plaque formation is reviewed. The importance of cholesterol in making vitamin D, hormones, and health cell membranes is highlighted. When cholesterol crystalizes it expands in volume by 50% and helps explain why plaques rupture and lead to clotted blood vessels. Further, the role of inflammation in blood vessel walls is discussed; lifestyle is the most important factor leading to inflammation.
