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Why is it important?
When you have a high level of cholesterol in your blood, it builds up on the walls of your
arteries, much like rust on the inside of a pipe. Over time, this buildup can cause the
arteries to narrow and become hard, which slows down blood flow. Reduced blood flow
can cause chest pain when you exercise, walk or exert yourself in any way. If the blood flow
becomes completely blocked, a heart attack can occur.
What are the cholesterol numbers and what do they
mean?
The four main cholesterol numbers are total cholesterol (TC), LDL, HDL and triglycerides
(TG). LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, is the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in
the arteries. HDL, or "good" cholesterol, helps to keep cholesterol from building up in the
arteries. Triglycerides are another form of fat in your blood. There are some other blood
factors that your practitioner may also want to check.
What should my cholesterol numbers be and what can I
do about them?
Each healthy level of cholesterol is different for each person depending on how many risk
factors a person has. Examples of risk factors include: hypertension, age, gender, ethnic
background, smoking, obesity and the presence of certain disease states such as coronary
disease or diabetes.
High cholesterol should be treated through risk factor management and reduction. This can
be done through: diet, exercise, weight management, smoking cessation, blood sugar
control and various drug therapies.
Under the guidance and care of our skilled medical staff and specially trained
professionals, patients will participate in diagnostic testing. Thorough, individualized risk
assessments will be performed. Patients will receive information and education on risks,
disease and lifestyle modification. We will empower patients who have cardiac conditions,
as well as those at risk for developing heart disease, to make changes to improve and
protect their health with individually tailored treatment and risk reduction plans.
Our goal is to reduce the incidence of cardiac disease and keep our patients
HEART-HEALTHY!!
advanced practice nurse practitioner. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing
degree from Villanova University in Villanova, PA in 1995. She obtained her Masters of
Science in Nursing Degree from Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ in 2002. She
is dual certified as both an adult care and acute care nurse practitioner. Her practice
background includes a variety of settings such as critical and coronary care and pain
management. Most recently, Kristi has specialized training in risk factor modification,
with a focus on heart healthy diet and lifestyle. This will bring a wide knowledge base to
the Lipid Clinic.
741 Northfield Avenue
West Orange, NJ 07052
Tel: (973) 467-1544
Fax: (973) 467-9586
© 2005 Consultants In Cardiology