High cholesterol increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious health problems. The Passion Health Primary Care team, with offices in Frisco, Irving, Seven Points / Kemp, and Plano, Texas, can help. Shyamala Arani Purushotham MD, FACP, CPHQ, Pooka Naik, MD, and the team, give you the medical support and the tools you need to reduce your cholesterol levels. Book your appointment today through the online scheduler, or call the office.

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What is cholesterol?

Your liver produces cholesterol naturally; you need a small amount for your body to function healthily. This fatty substance is also present in many foods, like meats, shellfish, and dairy.

When you have excess cholesterol in your bloodstream, it leads to serious health risks, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.

When am I diagnosed with high cholesterol?

Your cholesterol is measured with a simple blood test. If you have high cholesterol, it means you have a total cholesterol number higher than 200 mg/dL.

Your total cholesterol level reading is a combination of two kinds of cholesterol levels: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol. High LDL levels lead to plaque deposits that narrow your arteries and block blood flow. This can lead to high blood pressure and complications like coronary artery disease.

HDL, or “good” cholesterol, helps remove “bad” cholesterol (LDL) from your blood.

What should be my target cholesterol level?

Ideal cholesterol levels for adults 20 or older are 125-200 mg/dL, and it’s better to be in the lower part of this range.

You also want your LDL to be less than 100 mg/dL. HDL should be 40 mg/dL or higher for men, and for women, HDL should be 30 mg/dL or higher.

How can I lower my cholesterol numbers?

The Passion Health Primary Care providers encourage lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol levels. If these measures fail, they can also offer cholesterol-lowering medications.

Lifestyle changes that can help lower cholesterol levels include changing your diet and increasing your physical activity. Dietary changes involve consuming less processed foods and red meat while increasing fresh vegetables and whole grains. If you’re overweight, losing weight can help lower your cholesterol levels.

Your provider also monitors your cholesterol regularly to adjust your treatment as needed.

High cholesterol is not something to ignore. Get your levels checked and take action to reduce high levels with the help of the providers at Dr. Arani’s Passion Health Primary Care. Call today or use this website to make an appointment online.