High Cholesterol Specialist

What is high cholesterol?

Your body makes cholesterol, a waxy substance that’s necessary for building healthy cells. You also get cholesterol from foods you eat.

There are two types of cholesterol that circulate through your bloodstream by attaching to proteins, a combination known as a lipoprotein:

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

LDL cholesterol is known as the bad cholesterol. It’s responsible for carrying cholesterol particles throughout the body but can build up in the walls of your arteries. This buildup causes your arteries to narrow and harden.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol that moves through the blood and picks up extra cholesterol to carry it back to your liver for removal.

When left untreated, built-up cholesterol can lead to serious health complications, including heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.

How is high cholesterol diagnosed?

The team at South Palm Cardiovascular Associates offers cholesterol testing on-site that indicates both your HDL and LDL levels. 

They also provide advanced lipid testing that measures different proteins and protein particle sizes to more accurately predict your risk for cardiovascular disease.

Diagnostic testing is typically part of a preventive health care plan because you can have high cholesterol without any symptoms. 

Your South Palm Cardiovascular Associates provider may recommend cholesterol testing if you have risk factors like a family history of high cholesterol, are obese, or smoke now or in the past.

How is high cholesterol treated?

Treatment for high cholesterol often starts with dietary and lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol levels naturally. The South Palm Cardiovascular Associates team works closely with you to improve your diet and limit cholesterol-rich and fatty foods.

You should also engage in regular exercise to reach and maintain a healthy body weight. If you smoke, your physician can provide resources to help you quit for good.

If these changes aren’t enough to lower your levels of bad cholesterol, you may need medications. Statins are a common cholesterol-lowering medication that helps your liver to more effectively remove excess cholesterol from your blood.

The South Palm Cardiovascular Associates staff continues to monitor your cholesterol levels through routine blood tests at their Boynton Beach, Florida, preventive clinic.

If you have a family history of high cholesterol or need a cholesterol evaluation, schedule a consultation by calling South Palm Cardiovascular Associates or by requesting an appointment online today.