Cholesterol is a fatty, wax-like substance. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can harden arteries, which can cause complications such as stroke and heart attack. High cholesterol is considered at or above 200 mg/dL in otherwise healthy people. At Virginia Heart & Vascular Institute in Fairfax VA, we regularly work with patients with high cholesterol and want to help you live a longer, healthier life.
People with high cholesterol are at a higher risk of developing many cardiovascular conditions, and other complications including:
In order to determine whether or not you have high cholesterol, your physician will test your blood cholesterol levels, go over your health history, and ask questions about your diet and lifestyle.
The evaluation helps to determine:
Many patients are able to lower their cholesterol levels by improving their diet and exercising regularly. Below are components of a typical diet that can help lower cholesterol:
Lowering your cholesterol is possible. For help improving your cardiovascular health, particularly if your condition is associated with high cholesterol, contact Virginia Heart & Vascular Institute today at 703-560-1075.