Nearly 40% of Americans have high cholesterol, according to the CDC. That means every one of those individuals is at significantly increased risk of developing heart disease and other severe and even life-threatening problems.
At Primary Care Associates, our team uses a patient-centered approach to diagnose and manage high cholesterol in patients at our Frederick and Clarksburg, Maryland, practices, customizing every treatment plan for better outcomes and better health. Here’s what you should know about this widespread and serious health problem.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that your body uses to help break down and metabolize some types of nutrients. There are two main types of cholesterol:
LDL is called “bad” cholesterol because it’s the type that tends to collect along the walls of your blood vessels. HDL or “good” cholesterol is beneficial in preventing that buildup of LDL.
Even though LDL is thought of as ”bad,” your body still needs some of each kind of cholesterol to metabolize foods and stay healthy. Your liver produces most of the cholesterol your body needs, and we get the rest from the foods we eat. The problem is that we tend to get more than what we need — and that extra “bad” cholesterol causes a lot of serious health problems.
Cholesterol is sticky, and when there’s more LDL in our blood than our body needs, it tends to stick to the walls of our arteries, eventually causing a serious medical problem called arteriosclerosis, or “hardening” of the arteries. Cholesterol deposits narrow the arteries, so it’s harder for blood to flow, and they also stiffen the artery walls.
Without proper management, high “bad” cholesterol levels can lead to problems like:
The key to reducing your risks for these problems is to learn effective ways to manage your cholesterol levels by reducing excess LDL.
The first step in reducing your levels of “bad” cholesterol is to modify your lifestyle. That means eating a healthy diet that’s high in fiber from whole grains, vegetables, and fruits and avoiding foods with saturated and trans fats. If you tend to overeat, you’ll also need to work on limiting your portion size.
It also means getting regular exercise. Being physically active helps reduce cholesterol levels by improving circulation and ramping up metabolism. Plus, it can help you shed extra pounds, which can also decrease your “bad” cholesterol levels.
If you smoke, you’ll seriously need to think about quitting. Smoking magnifies the effects of high cholesterol by damaging your blood vessels and impairing circulation, so your risks of heart attack and other serious problems are significantly increased.
When these lifestyle changes aren’t effective in getting your cholesterol levels where they need to be, our team may recommend a statin or other cholesterol-lowering medication based on your health profile and other factors. Routine physicals and checkups help ensure your treatment plan stays on track as you get older and your needs change.
On its own, high cholesterol doesn’t cause any symptoms, and many people don’t realize their cholesterol levels are high until they have a blood test or a severe medical problem develops. While some people are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol, most people develop the problem due to their lifestyle and other factors, like older age.
Having annual physicals and well visits is the best way to monitor your cholesterol levels so our team can provide you with the care you need to stay healthy. To schedule your visit or to learn more about cholesterol management, call the office or book an appointment online today.
