High Cholesterol Specialist
Seven Corners Medical Center
Internal Medicine & Primary Care Practice located in Falls Church, VA
If you’re one of the 102 million Americans with high cholesterol, the skilled medical team at Seven Corners Medical Center can help. At their office in Falls Church, Virginia, internal medicine physicians, George Sopko, MD, MPH, and Anu George, MD, offer on-site blood testing to diagnose high cholesterol. Dr. George and Dr. Sopko offer customized treatment, focusing on lifestyle changes and medications, to help keep your cholesterol levels in check. If you have a family history of high cholesterol or need help improving your diet, schedule a consultation online today or call Seven Corners Medical Center.
High Cholesterol Q & A
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance in your blood that plays a role in the production of new cells and hormones. It also helps to protect the health of your nerves.
You get the cholesterol you need from the foods you eat, and your liver also produces certain amounts of cholesterol naturally. While cholesterol is important for good health, too much of it can lead to long-term health complications.
What causes high cholesterol?
Cholesterol travels through your blood packaged within proteins called:
High-density lipoproteins
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the good cholesterol that moves around your body collecting excess cholesterol from your blood and taking it back to the liver for elimination. So it’s the “good” form because it helps remove cholesterol from your bloodstream.
Low-density lipoproteins
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is the “bad” cholesterol that distributes cholesterol throughout your body. Too much LDL can cause a buildup of cholesterol in your blood vessels, which interferes with your blood flow and can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
You’re at increased risk for having high cholesterol if you:
- Smoke
- Are obese
- Are overweight
- Eat an unhealthy diet
Your risk for high cholesterol may also be increased if you have a parent or sibling with the condition.
How is high cholesterol diagnosed?
You can have high cholesterol without any symptoms. For this reason, routine cholesterol blood work is necessary to identify the condition in its earliest stages.
The staff at Seven Corners Medical Center offers on-site blood testing to evaluate your cholesterol levels.
How is cholesterol treated?
The team at Seven Corners Medical Center takes an integrative approach to managing high cholesterol levels. Your doctor may initially work with you to lower your bad cholesterol levels naturally, by changing your diet and exercising to maintain a healthy weight.
If these changes aren’t enough to get your cholesterol levels under control, you may need to take medications. Medications can assist your liver in eliminating excess cholesterol or help your body reabsorb more LDL.
To ensure your cholesterol numbers are well-controlled, your provider may recommend routine blood work to monitor your levels. You may also need blood testing to evaluate the effectiveness of your treatment.
If you need help lowering your cholesterol, rely on the experienced medical team at Seven Corners Medical Center. You can book an appointment online now or call the office today.
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