Condition

High Cholesterol

What is it?

Often found on yearly bloodwork, elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood pose a health concern for about 34 million adults in the United States. Cholesterol, a type of lipid molecule both synthesized within the human body and absorbed from our food, is a precursor to many essential hormones, is used to construct cell membranes, and helps to repair injuries to the blood vessel wall.

When that repair process is prolonged or overactive, though, high levels of cholesterol can lead to plaques and narrowing of those same vessels. In this case, elevated cholesterol can be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart attack.

What causes it?

High cholesterol results from a combination of environmental and genetic factors including diet, lifestyle, weight, alcohol use, stress, and family history.  In addition, other diagnoses play a large role in the development of elevated lipids and in the risks involved with this diagnosis (diabetes, hypothyroidism, and high blood pressure, to name a few).

If your labs show elevated lipid levels, it is important to assess your entire cardiovascular health including your blood sugar regulation, your cardiovascular inflammation and some important genetic factors.  Because cholesterol serves many crucial roles in our physiology, elevations can be caused many different things.

Dr. Krisko will walk you through both the basic labs needed for the initial diagnosis and additional studies to determine the underlying factors for your high cholesterol.

Then, we will work with you to create a treatment plan that addresses all aspects of this condition including

  • diet
  • exercise
  • stress management
  • blood pressure and blood sugar management
  • supplements
  • prescription drugs (if needed)
  • dealing with the consequences of your genetics

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© 2023 Rebecca Krisko, ND. All Rights Reserved.

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Request Your Appointment

Please note that this is only an appointment request. We will electronically confirm your appointment within one business day.  Once we do, you will receive an email inviting you to register with our electronic health records and complete your intake forms.  If, for any reason, we cannot confirm this appointment, we will reach out to you by phone. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at (503) 274-9360.

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Request Your Appointment

Please note that this is not a reservation. After we receive your appointment request, we will call you within 1 business day to confirm details and officially book your appointment.