It is widespread to have high cholesterol and triglyceride levels called a lipid disorder. If you have a lipid disorder, it means you have high levels of fats called triglycerides and high blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. When you have too much of these substances in your blood, it can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Our award-winning primary care physicians and Manhattan internal medicine doctors in NYC are experts in treating high cholesterol.
High cholesterol can limit blood flow, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. A simple blood test detects it.
What Is Cholesterol?
LDL cholesterol can also combine with substances and other fats in your blood, creating blockages in your arteries.
It is preferable to have a higher HDL cholesterol level, sometimes called good cholesterol, because it has a protective effect on your heart, transporting harmful LDL cholesterol out of your arteries.
When your arteries become blocked, it reduces blood flow and can cause serious health problems like heart disease, heart attacks, or stroke.
What Are Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a fat mainly obtained from food, but your body can also produce triglycerides when converting excess calories to fat for storage.
You need some triglycerides for specific cell functions, but it is unhealthy if you have high levels of triglycerides. Like LDL, lower levels of triglycerides are considered preferable.
What Are the Main Causes of High Cholesterol and High Triglycerides?
Consuming Specific Foods
The leading cause is consuming foods known to increase cholesterol levels and contain saturated fats or trans fats. Most saturated fats are found in animal-based foods like milk, cheese, butter, and steak but are also present in some plant-based foods like coconut oil and palm oil.
Experts believe trans fats or trans fatty acids to be worse than saturated fats because they can increase LDL levels while lowering HDL levels.
Some animal products naturally contain trans fats, but others are found in processed foods, for example, potato chips and margarine.
Inherited Risks or Medical Conditions
High cholesterol levels can also be inherited. For example, familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder passed down through families. It is a genetic mutation that prevents the liver from removing LDL cholesterol from the blood.
Certain medical conditions can also increase the risk of high blood cholesterol, including diabetes, kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Some medications, for example, diuretics, can increase cholesterol levels.
Lifestyle Factors
A lack of exercise can increase LDL levels, while exercise can increase healthy HDL levels. Smoking can increase LDL levels by causing plaque to build up in the arteries.
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Diagnosing High Blood Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels
Frequently, high cholesterol won’t cause any symptoms unless it has caused significant damage resulting in heart disease. It’s essential to have regular cholesterol checks with a blood test called a lipid profile. It is crucial to have your cholesterol levels checked to check a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease.
A lipid profile measures both types of cholesterol and triglycerides. It is also known as a fasting blood test as you must avoid eating and drinking anything other than water for at least 8 to 12 hours beforehand. If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, our physicians can discuss how to treat high cholesterol most effectively for your needs.
High Cholesterol Treatment Options in Midtown NYC and New York’s Upper East Side
There are several types of medications that our doctors are using to treat high cholesterol levels.
Statins
We commonly prescribe statins as they are very effective and prevent your liver from producing a substance that creates cholesterol. Your liver can then remove cholesterol from your blood. Statins can also absorb cholesterol in your arteries.
Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors
These can lower cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of dietary cholesterol your body absorbs, and we sometimes prescribe them with Statins.
Bile Acid Sequestrants
This medication traps bile resin containing cholesterol, preventing it from being reabsorbed in your small intestine.
High Triglycerides Treatment in Midtown NYC and New York’s Upper East Side
Fibrates
Fibrates are medications used for triglyceride treatment and can help lower triglyceride levels in your blood.
Supplements
Supplements can also be helpful for high cholesterol treatment and triglycerides treatment. For example, omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats contained naturally in oily fish like salmon. Some plant oils like olive oil and canola oil also contain omega-3 fatty acids. Niacin can increase HDL cholesterol levels and is available over the counter, or your doctor can prescribe it. We can advise you about using supplements safely and effectively.
How to Treat High Cholesterol Using Lifestyle Changes
Any New York’s best internist would recommend lifestyle changes in conjunction with high cholesterol treatment. Ensuring you follow a healthy diet and receive enough exercise can help to reduce cholesterol levels. Your doctor would also recommend that you exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, for four days a week. However, it is vital to exercise appropriately for your fitness level, and we can advise you on suitable exercise programs to follow.
Ideally, no more than 6% of your daily calories should come from saturated fat, and it is advisable to avoid foods with trans fats whenever possible.
Get into the habit of reading food labels and choose foods containing polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains can also help decrease high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Avoid eating fast food, processed meats, and junk food, and choose grilled and roasted foods instead of fried foods.
It’s advisable to reduce alcohol intake because alcohol can increase triglyceride levels.
High Cholesterol and Triglycerides Treatment Plan
Lifestyle modifications combined with medication can often help reduce cholesterol levels. We can provide you with a suitable treatment plan to improve your health and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Please make an appointment at one of our convenient locations in Midtown Manhattan or Upper East Side so that we can help. Our primary care doctors at Manhattan medical care look forward to meeting you!
Manhattan Primary Care Locations: Manhattan Primary Care (Upper East Side) 983 Park Ave, Ste 1D22, New York 10028
(212) 389-9929 Manhattan Primary Care (Midtown) 56 W 45th St, Ste 808, New York, NY 10036
(212) 389-1887 Manhattan Primary Care (Union Square) 55 W 17th St, Ste 105, New York 10011
(212) 378-9987
