High Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, and Lipid Disorders

How we measure and treat this common condition

Cholesterol is a type of fat in your blood that the body needs to build cells. However, when there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up in the walls of the arteries. This can cause the arteries to harden and narrow, known as atherosclerosis, making it difficult for blood to flow through the body.

High cholesterol, also known as hypercholesterolemia, by itself does not cause symptoms, so you may not know your cholesterol is high. But if the artery becomes completely blocked, it can result in a heart attack or stroke.

In rare cases, high cholesterol can be caused by an inherited genetic mutation (familial hypercholesterolemia), but more often, it’s the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices.

We measure cholesterol with a simple blood test done after a nine- to 12-hour fast. The test tells us about your:

Cholesterol is measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. Optimal levels for people without other health conditions are:

Making healthy lifestyle changes often is the first line of defense against high cholesterol. This can include:

If making these lifestyle changes isn’t enough to lower your cholesterol, your doctor may recommend medication, such as statins, bile acid sequestrants, or cholesterol absorption inhibitors.

Lipid disorders develop when fatty substances build up in the blood. These substances include cholesterol and triglycerides.

Left untreated, these buildups, commonly known as high cholesterol and high triglycerides, can lead to many other health problems, including high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). They can also increase risk for heart disease and stroke.

At MedStar Health, our team of endocrinologists work with patients to manage lipid disorders, and coordinate care with other medical specialists, including cardiologists and vascular surgeons.

Among the lipid disorders we treat are:

Hypercholesterolemia: Lifestyle changes are usually the first line of treatment and include:

There are a variety of medication options available to help lower cholesterol when diet and exercise are not enough. We will work with patients to prescribe a medication that will be most effective.

Hypertriglyceridemia: Conditions like obesity, diabetes, and hypothyroidism can lead to hypertriglyceridemia. Treatment starts by getting these underlying problems under control. We also recommend making lifestyle changes that include: