Cholesterol Specialist

When are cholesterol levels considered ‘high’?

If you have high cholesterol, it means you have too many fats, or lipids, in your blood. Some cholesterol is essential as it helps you build new cells. Unhealthy levels, however, can cause serious complications.

High cholesterol can cause your body to lay down fatty deposits in your blood vessels, thus narrowing your arteries and restricting blood flow. As a result, you’re at greater risk of heart disease and stroke.

A cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or below is considered healthy. It’s also important to look at the ratio of your HDL to LDL and your triglyceride levels when evaluating cholesterol.

What are HDL and LDL?

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are considered the “good” kind of cholesterol. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are categorized as a “bad” kind. LDL is the type that increases fatty deposits in your blood vessels and increases your risk of health issues.

If you have too little HDL or too much LDL, you’re at a greater risk of heart complications. Cholesterol tests evaluate HDL and LDL levels and determine their ratio to each other. A healthy cholesterol measure is an LDL level below 100 mg/dL and an HDL level of 60 mg/dL or higher.

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are different from cholesterol, but are a type of fat that circulates in your blood. If you have high triglycerides -- above 200 mg/dl -- you may be at risk of hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis, thickening of the artery walls. High triglycerides put you at risk of stroke, heart disease, and heart attacks.

Who is at risk of high cholesterol?

High cholesterol can develop as a result of genetics. Lifestyle behaviors also influence your cholesterol levels. These include:

• Sedentary lifestyle
  
• Smoking cigarettes
  
• A diet high in saturated fat
  
• Obesity
  

People with diabetes are also at a greater risk of developing high cholesterol.

How is high cholesterol evaluated and treated?

A routine blood test measures your blood cholesterol levels. This test is done at most annual exams. You won’t show symptoms of high cholesterol, but it does do internal damage.

If your test reveals you have unhealthy cholesterol levels, the team develops a treatment plan to help you get your cholesterol under control. This plan may include:

• Dietary changes to include more fresh produce, whole grains, and lean protein
  
• More physical activity
  
• Quitting smoking
  
• Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
  
• Medications, such as statins
  

Remember that medications are only part of your cholesterol treatment plan. Ideally, you use them to complement lifestyle changes to get your levels to a healthy place.

To schedule your cholesterol evaluation, call Northeast Medical, PC or book online today.