More than 70 million adults in the United States have high cholesterol. When your cholesterol numbers are high, your risk of developing heart disease doubles. If you're concerned about cholesterol, Praveen Bolarum, MD, and the team at Primary Care Associates of Maryland take a holistic approach to medicine and can help you understand and improve upon your numbers using a natural approach. To request an appointment, call one of the three offices in Frederick or Clarksburg, Maryland, or use the online booking tool at any time.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in fat. Your body produces cholesterol, and you take in additional cholesterol from the food you eat.
Cholesterol is used to help make cells, but when your body has too much cholesterol, the waxy substance sticks to your artery walls, causing them to narrow and making it harder for blood to pass, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
The providers at Primary Care Associates of Maryland use blood tests to check and monitor your cholesterol levels.
High cholesterol is determined by your total cholesterol number from your blood test.
The total cholesterol count includes two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDL), referred to as bad cholesterol, and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), referred to as good cholesterol. In addition to your total cholesterol, your provider also wants you to pay attention to your LDL and HDL numbers.
Keeping your LDL levels less than 100 mg/dl and your HDL greater than 40 mg/dl can help to improve your health.
There are no symptoms associated with high cholesterol. But some factors increase your risk of high cholesterol, including:
If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, or your predisposition for developing high cholesterol, schedule a consultation at Primary Care Associates of Maryland.
Your provider will likely recommend a change in diet and your activity levels as your first steps for lowering your cholesterol. Your provider will work with you to create an individualized plan that fits your lifestyle and fitness level. A healthy diet and exercise plan can also promote weight loss, which helps reduce cholesterol.
If your numbers aren’t improved after altering your diet and activity levels, your provider may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication.
There are several options, including:
With the help of the skilled and dedicated providers at Primary Care Associates of Maryland, you can manage your cholesterol levels more effectively.
High cholesterol is preventable. Steps you can take to reduce your risk include:
If you have concerns about your cholesterol and would like to get your numbers checked, call Primary Care Associates of Maryland or request an appointment online.
