There are two types of cholesterol, good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol).
High cholesterol usually means you have more of the bad type and less of the good type. Having high cholesterol puts you at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease and that risk increases if you have other risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
There are several risk factors - including: Heredity, Age, Gender, Diabetes and Life Style Choices.
Making the correct Life Style Choices can help decrease your risk factors significantly:
- Food - the food you eat can increase your “Bad” cholesterol (LDL) – too much saturated fat and trans fatty acids or animal-based cholesterol found in meats, cheeses, and egg yolks contribute to high cholesterol and heart disease.
- Weight – being overweight or obese can increase bad cholesterol levels, reduce good cholesterol levels.
- Exercise – A lack of exercise also contributes to your risk for high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
- Smoking – stopping smoking can increase the amount of good cholesterol in your blood, which can lower your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.
If you have any of these risk factors, Dr. Blanchar can test your cholesterol levels and recommend treatment if necessary – call today to make an appointment: 954-776-6992.
You may need a combination of approaches to bring down your cholesterol. For example, you may take a statin drug and make changes to your diet.
High blood pressure is a common condition in which the force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause or contribute to health problems, such as hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis and the development of heart failure.
The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known. Several factors and conditions may play a role in its development, including:
- Age
- Race
- Family History
- Being Overweight or Obese
- Not Being Physically Active
- Use of Tobacco
- Too much salt
- Too little potassium in your diet
- Too little vitamin D in your diet
- Drinking too much alcohol, Stress
- Genetics
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Chronic kidney disease
- Adrenal and thyroid disorders
You'll likely have your blood pressure taken as part of a routine doctor's appointment. If you don’t, you should ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading at least every two years starting at age 20.
There are several types of medicines that can be used to help control high blood pressure: Thiazide diuretics, Beta blockers, Angiotensin, Angiotensin II receptor blockers, Calcium channel blockers and others – your doctor can determine the best treatment for you.
No matter what medications your doctor prescribes to treat your high blood pressure, you'll need to make lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure. These changes usually include eating a healthier diet with less salt (the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet), exercising more, quitting smoking and losing weight.