Far more of a risk than cholesterol for atherosclerosis is sub-optimal levels of Ascorbate which repairs the wear and tear of the heart muscle on the arterial walls, keeping them smooth. Cholesterol and other substances only act as a repair crew in the absence of Ascorbate causing atherosclerosis.
High Cholesterol was blamed as the culprit in atherosclerosis so that statins would become a blockbuster moneymaking drug...........The Statin scam........... http://www.spacedoc.com/statin_scam