High Cholesterol

Almost 30% of Americans have high cholesterol, where an unhealthy fatty substance builds up in your vessels. As experts in internal medicine, the team of Thomas J. Cassidy MD LLC in Edison, New Jersey, provides high-quality care to reduce cholesterol to a healthy level. The right care can prevent serious complications from high cholesterol. Call the office today with Thomas Cassidy, MD, for a cholesterol test.

High Cholesterol FAQs

Cholesterol is a fatlike substance that occurs naturally in our bodies. However, too much cholesterol can lead to significant health problems. 

Doctors categorize cholesterol into two types. One form is HDL, which is good, and the second is LDL, which is unhealthy. 

Too much of the wrong type — or not enough of the right kind — can trigger high cholesterol. With high cholesterol, unhealthy LDL cholesterol slowly builds up in the arteries leading to your brain and heart, putting you at risk for serious health issues. 

High cholesterol doesn’t produce symptoms; that’s why it’s essential to regularly visit the office of Thomas J. Cassidy MD LLC for cholesterol tests.

You can control some factors related to high cholesterol, but others are beyond your control. For example, high cholesterol runs in families. While there’s not much you can do about your family history, you can use this knowledge to be mindful that you’re at a higher risk.

Unhealthy lifestyle choices also raise your risk for high cholesterol. These bad behaviors include:

  • Smoking
  • Being overweight
  • Eating fatty foods
  • Getting little or no exercise

If you’re worried about high cholesterol, the office of Thomas J. Cassidy MD LLC offers tests to assess the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream.

A cholesterol test is a blood test. Your provider at the office of Thomas J. Cassidy MD LLC may recommend fasting before your test. 

During the test, your provider takes a small blood sample. They send your sample to a lab and contact you to discuss your results. 

The team of Thomas J. Cassidy MD LLC acts as your partner in health to manage your cholesterol levels. They suggest getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and cutting back on red meat and fried foods. If obesity is an issue, they recommend a healthy weight loss plan. 

Your provider prescribes medications to manage your high cholesterol. Depending on your health, you may benefit from statins, a medication to help to lower the amount of bad cholesterol. Drugs called selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors, help to prevent the absorption of bad cholesterol, while resins encourage your body to eliminate cholesterol naturally.

If you’re ready for comprehensive treatment to address high cholesterol, call today for a consultation online with the office of Thomas J. Cassidy MD LLC.