Accessed March 10, Lipid panel. Lab Tests Online. American Association for Clinical Chemistry. Goldman L, et al. Disorders of lipid metabolism. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Elsevier; My cholesterol guide. American Heart Association.

Bonow RO, et al. Lipoprotein disorders and cardiovascular disease. In: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Rosenson RS, et al.

Management of low density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL-C in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Rosenson RS. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering with drugs other than statins and PCSK9 inhibitors.

Tibuakuu M, et al. Bempedoic acid for LDL-C lowering: What do we know? American College of Cardiology. De Ferranti SD, et al. Dyslipidemia in children: Management. Cholesterol management at a glance. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

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Hyperlipidemia means your blood has too many lipids or fats , such as cholesterol and triglycerides. One type of hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, means you have too much non-HDL cholesterol and LDL bad cholesterol in your blood. This condition increases fatty deposits in arteries and the risk of blockages.

Another way your cholesterol numbers can be out of balance is when your HDL good cholesterol level is too low. With less HDL to remove cholesterol from your arteries, your risk of atherosclerotic plaque and blockages increases.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ASCVD involves plaque buildup in arterial walls which includes conditions such as acute coronary syndrome and peripheral artery disease , and can cause a heart attack, stable or unstable angina , stroke , transient ischemic attack TIA or aortic aneurysm.

Download Reduce Your Risk of ASCVD PDF Spanish PDF. These factors can combine with high LDL cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol levels to affect your cardiovascular health.

Your doctor may use the ASCVD Risk Calculator to assess your risk of a coronary event in the next 10 years. The good news is, high cholesterol can be lowered, reducing risk of heart disease and stroke. Often, changing behaviors can help bring your numbers into line.

Lifestyle changes include:. From a dietary standpoint, the best way to lower your cholesterol is reduce your intake of saturated fat and trans fat. Reducing these fats means limiting your intake of red meat and dairy products made with whole milk.

Choose skim milk, low-fat or fat-free dairy products instead. It also means limiting fried food and cooking with healthy oils, such as vegetable oil.

A heart-healthy diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, nuts and nontropical vegetable oils , while limiting red and processed meats, sodium and sugar-sweetened foods and beverages. Many diets fit this general description.

For example, the DASH Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as well as diets suggested by the U.

Department of Agriculture and the American Heart Association are heart-healthy approaches. Such diets can be adapted based on your cultural and food preferences.

gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries and narrow or even block them.

This puts you at risk for coronary artery disease and other heart diseases. Cholesterol travels through the blood on proteins called lipoproteins.

One type, LDL , is sometimes called the "bad" cholesterol. A high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries. Another type, HDL , is sometimes called the "good" cholesterol. It carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Then your liver removes the cholesterol from your body.

There are steps that you can take to lower your LDL bad cholesterol and raise your HDL good cholesterol. By keeping your cholesterol levels in range , you can lower your risk of heart diseases. For some people, making lifestyle changes alone does not their lower cholesterol enough.

They may also need to take medicines. There are several types of cholesterol-lowering drugs available. They work in different ways and can have different side effects. Talk to your health care provider about which medicine is right for you. Even if you take medicines to lower your cholesterol, you still need to continue with lifestyle changes.

Familial hypercholesterolemia FH is an inherited form of high cholesterol. Some people who have FH may get a treatment called lipoprotein apheresis.

Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries and narrow or even block them.

This puts you at risk for coronary artery disease and other heart diseases. Cholesterol travels through the blood on proteins called lipoproteins. One type, LDL , is sometimes called the "bad" cholesterol. A high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries.

Another type, HDL , is sometimes called the "good" cholesterol. It carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Then your liver removes the cholesterol from your body. There are steps that you can take to lower your LDL bad cholesterol and raise your HDL good cholesterol.

By keeping your cholesterol levels in range , you can lower your risk of heart diseases. For some people, making lifestyle changes alone does not their lower cholesterol enough. They may also need to take medicines. There are several types of cholesterol-lowering drugs available.

They work in different ways and can have different side effects. Talk to your health care provider about which medicine is right for you. Even if you take medicines to lower your cholesterol, you still need to continue with lifestyle changes.

Familial hypercholesterolemia FH is an inherited form of high cholesterol. Some people who have FH may get a treatment called lipoprotein apheresis.

This treatment uses a filtering machine to remove LDL cholesterol from the blood. Then the machine returns the rest of the blood back to the person. Some companies sell supplements that they say can lower cholesterol. Researchers have studied many of these supplements, including red yeast rice, flaxseed, and garlic.

At this time, there isn't conclusive evidence that any of them are effective in lowering cholesterol levels. Also, supplements may cause side effects and interactions with medicines. Always check with your health care provider before you take any supplements.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. How to Lower Cholesterol. What is cholesterol? What are the treatments for high cholesterol?

The main treatments for high cholesterol are lifestyle changes and medicines. Lifestyle changes to lower cholesterol Heart-healthy lifestyle changes that can help you lower or control your cholesterol include: Heart-healthy eating. Be mindful of red meats and other meat with high-fat content.

Cook with healthy oils like olive oil and avocado oil because they can help clear out arteries rather than blocking them like canola oil or vegetable oils. Cut back on foods high in saturated fats like pie, chips, or cake.

Too much alcohol, especially binge drinking, can lead to an increase in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. If you are going to drink alcohol, less is better for the heart.

Smoking increases the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood while decreasing your HDL cholesterol. This increases your risk of blockages in your arteries and heart problems.

For many, adding movement to your daily routine can help reduce your LDL cholesterol. Typically, when we think about exercising more, we imagine getting a gym membership or taking up running, but even simple changes to your activity could have an impact.

For example, try parking farther away from your destination in the parking lot, try taking the stairs rather than the elevator, go on a walk after a meal, or do a half hour of gardening or cleaning.

Ideally, the average adult should be getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. There are a number of medications you can take to help lower your cholesterol. Taking cholesterol-lowering medication starts with a conversation between the patient and provider.

If you believe you may benefit from medication, make an appointment to see your primary care provider to see which medications would work best for you. For some adults, no amount of eating right, exercising, or avoidance of risk behaviors like smoking or alcohol abuse will lower their cholesterol.

There is a genetic component of high cholesterol, meaning you could be as healthy as possible and still have a problem. The good news is that with modern medicine, providers can make interventions for these people and help them lower their cholesterol.

Small steps in the right direction will ultimately have a larger impact later. Cholesterol is something that could impact your health 10 years down the line, so doing your part to minimize the risk now could save you some literal heartache later. Consistency is key. Try to find ways to stay motivated, whether that means finding a routine or joining a group of people who may be looking to lower their cholesterol as well.

Abby Martin, PA-C is a certified Physician Assistant with TPMG Greenbrier Family Medicine in Chesapeake. She encourages her patients to play an active role in the healthcare process, believing that those who are actively involved in their healthcare achieve better outcomes.

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Despite the joy they bring us, fireworks can also pose several health risks. Firework-related injuries include burns, eye damage, injury to the head, face, and ears, and injuries related to the hands and fingers. While dangerous, there are ways to enjoy our favorite fireworks without risking injury to you or your loved ones.

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Keeping you and your loved ones healthy while someone in the household is sick may require some adjustment, but it could keep you out of your sickbed and enjoying more of your holiday activities.

Oct 20, Family Medicine Internal Medicine , Recent News. Protect your children, family, and friends by educating yourself about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. PRIMARY CARE. At Tidewater Physicians Multispecialty Group TPMG , our four areas of primary care include family medicine, geriatric medicine, internal medicine, and pediatric medicine.

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