High Cholesterol Specialist

Northwest Houston Heart Center

Cardiology located in Tomball, Cypress, Magnolia, & The Woodlands, TX

High Cholesterol or Hyperlipidemia is a hereditary condition.Having an excessive quantity of cholesterol in your blood can lead to potentially life-threatening conditions like coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attack, and stroke. High Cholesterol is an easily treatable condition with life style modificaiton or medications. High Cholesterol itself does not cause any abnomal symptoms so one will not know if they have High Cholesterol or not untill they check their Blood Cholesterol level which is a very basic blood test which should be drawn in a fasting state on annual basis as High Cholesterol can develop at different age groups based on your genetic make up and your life style, if you have genetic predisposition to have high cholesterol your cholesterol level can go high even though you have active lifestyle and good dietary habits. All inurance companies cover annual cholesterol panel screening tests in all adult pateints. If life style modification are not able to control High Cholsterol levels there are multiple safe medication options which can treat any form of hereditary Hyperlipidemia very effectively most of these effecitve medication are available in generic form at a very low cost. By diagnosing High Cholesterol early and effectively lowering it to the target range you can significantly lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Depending upon your medical conditions and other cardiovascular risk factors there is a different optimal and ideal cholesterol level for each individual patient. Fellowship-trained cardiologists A. Adnan Aslam, MD, FACC, FSCAI, and Roy Norman, DO, of Northwest Houston Heart Center can determine if you have high cholesterol with a simple blood test. They also provide the treatment and education you need to lower your cholesterol levels. To arrange your cholesterol test, call the Tomball, Cypress, Magnolia, or The Woodlands, Texas, office or book an appointment online today on the home page of our website, our office number

High Cholesterol Q & A

What is high cholesterol?

If you have high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), it means there's too much cholesterol circulating in your blood.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance your body requires for several important functions, such as manufacturing vitamin D and certain hormones and constructing cell membranes.

You can create all the cholesterol you need without having to include it in your diet. However, it's possible to consume large quantities of cholesterol if you eat products containing animal fats, like butter, cheese, and meat.

Are there different types of cholesterol?

There are several types of cholesterol:

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

HDL is often labeled the good cholesterol because it helps transport other types of cholesterol to your liver for processing and disposal.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

LDL and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) are the bad cholesterols that cause cardiovascular health problems.

In addition to eating a diet high in animal fats, your risk of developing high cholesterol increases if you're overweight or obese and don't do much exercise. The condition is also more likely to affect you as you get older. It's possible for people who are outwardly slim and fit to have high cholesterol, so there could be a genetic risk as well.

Why is high cholesterol such a serious health problem?

High cholesterol levels in your blood lead to atherosclerosis, a condition that can affect arteries all around your body. The cholesterol binds with debris like calcium deposits in your blood to form plaque, which sticks to the artery walls.

As the plaque layers build up, the space in the artery for blood to flow reduces. That is the cause of conditions like coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and carotid artery disease.

Eventually, the plaque starts to harden and can either block the artery entirely or trigger the creation of blood clots that cause a blockage. If blood flow gets cut off, you could suffer a heart attack or stroke.

What can I do about high cholesterol?

An essential step in reducing your cholesterol is to change the habits that have led to your condition. Your provider at Northwest Houston Heart Center can advise you on eating a heart-healthy diet, losing weight, and other ways to reduce cholesterol, such as getting more exercise and quitting smoking.

You might need to take medications like statins to lower your cholesterol if it's at a dangerous level. Your provider may also recommend additional tests for atherosclerosis in your arteries, like a cardiac PET scan.

Measuring your cholesterol levels only requires a simple blood test. If you want to schedule a cholesterol check or have any concerns about your cardiovascular health, call Northwest Houston Heart Center today or book an appointment online.

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