A new study found that nearly half of the Hispanics living in the United States aren't aware that they have high cholesterol. However, awareness might not even help because only a third of those who are aware take medications.

High cholesterol is known to increase one's risk of heart disease and stroke due to the fatty deposits or plaque that builds up in the walls of the arteries. Eventually, this build up can cause a blood clot that could block an artery to the heart leading to a heart attack.

Dr. Carlos Rodriguez of Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., worked with his colleagues in reviewing the data of more than 16,000 Hispanics between ages 18 to 74 who visited clinics in San Diego, Chicago, New York and Miami from 2008 to 2011.

The researchers identified those that were already taking cholesterol-lowering medications, patients that were diagnosed with higher-than-normal bad cholesterol and those with high levels of both good and bad cholesterol. They were also asked if they were informed that they have high cholesterol and whether they were taking the prescribed medications.

The analysis showed that 49 percent of study participants were unaware that they had high cholesterol levels. Of those who were aware, only 30 percent were taking their medications. Men were more likely to have the condition but women had higher treatment rate.

Most of the participants found out about their high cholesterol levels while getting assessed for high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases that are linked to heart disease and stroke.

“Hispanics have a high prevalence of high cholesterol due probably to a mix of genes and diet,” Rodriguez said in an email to Reuters. “What is more surprising is the lack of awareness, treatment and control that needs to change.”

The American Heart Association warned that even if the study focused on the Hispanic population, the findings serve as a reminder for everyone.

"Heart disease remains an equal opportunity threat to the health of everyone; no person is immune. If we are to continue our record of success in reducing the burden of heart disease, we will need to broaden our target for risk factor reduction," said American Heart Association spokesperson DR. Clyde W. Yancy, chief of cardiology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and a former AHA president, to Medical Xpress.