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An unhealthy lifestyle is the most common cause of high “bad” LDL cholesterol or low “good” HDL cholesterol. However, genes that you inherit from your parents, other medical conditions, and some medicines may also cause unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Unhealthy habits such as these are a common cause of unhealthy cholesterol levels:
Learn about heart-healthy lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk for high blood cholesterol.
Some people may develop high “bad” 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.
Some medical conditions may raise LDL cholesterol levels or lower HDL cholesterol.
Some medicines that you take for other health problems can raise your level of “bad” LDL cholesterol or lower your level of “good” HDL cholesterol.