High Cholesterol

Having high cholesterol puts you at risk of other health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease. Danielle Hawkins, APRN, takes a proactive approach to health and wellness at Alliance Primary Care in Princeton and McKinney, Texas. She partners with you, making you part of the decision-making process to improve your high cholesterol and overall health. Call today or schedule an appointment online. Telehealth appointments are available.

How do I know I have high cholesterol?

Only a health care provider can determine if you have high cholesterol following a blood lipid test. Having high cholesterol means you have too much cholesterol circulating in your blood. This cholesterol sticks to the walls of your blood vessels and hardens, creating plaque.

Over time, the plaque builds up along the blood vessel walls, narrowing or blocking blood flow. This is called atherosclerosis. Poor circulation from atherosclerosis affects organ and tissue function. 

If a piece of plaque breaks free from the blood vessel, it triggers the formation of a blood clot that may lead to a heart attack or stroke. Atherosclerosis may occur in any artery, but it most often affects the coronary arteries in the heart and the peripheral arteries in the legs.

At Alliance Primary Care, Danielle performs onsite lab tests to check blood cholesterol levels that confirm or rule out high cholesterol. 

What causes high cholesterol?

Both lifestyle and genetics can cause high cholesterol. You’re more likely to have high cholesterol if it runs in your family. Lifestyle choices like smoking, not getting enough exercise, and eating foods high in saturated fat can also increase blood cholesterol.

Certain medical conditions can also affect cholesterol production, including diabetes, kidney disease, and thyroid disorders. 

Screening for high cholesterol should start between the ages of 9 and 11 and then again between ages 17 and 21; after that, screenings should occur every four to six years. Around age 45, you should have blood cholesterol screenings every two years, then every year when you reach 65.

What are the treatments for high cholesterol?

Danielle takes a patient-centered approach to care, conducting a comprehensive history and physical before making any treatment recommendations. 

She spends time educating you about your health and what your cholesterol numbers mean. Then, together, you create a plan to improve your high cholesterol. 

Treatments may include:

• Heart-healthy diet
• An exercise program
• Smoking cessation
• Weight loss
• Cholesterol-lowering medication

Danielle schedules follow-up visits to monitor your health, encourages lifestyle changes to improve cholesterol, and adjusts medication as needed.

High cholesterol affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Even active people who feel healthy can have high cholesterol. 

For compassionate care from a provider who puts your health first, call Alliance Primary Care today or use the online booking button to schedule an appointment.