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Primary Care
Associates, P.C. AnMed Health Campus 2000 East Greenville Street Suite 1600 Anderson, South Carolina 29621 Telephone: 864.226.9193 |
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CONTROLLING CHOLESTEROL "What’s your blood cholesterol level?" is an opening gambit of many a conversation between people concerned about their heart health. Most people know it’s desirable to have a total cholesterol level below 200, and many even know about the so-called "good cholesterol," HDL, and the "bad cholesterol", LDL. Dr. Newman Harter of Primary Care Associates in Anderson said cholesterol testing can determine genetic markers for athrosclerosis – buildup of cholesterol deposits inside the arteries – which are major causes of heart attacks and strokes. They can also help inform people with bad lifestyle habits of changes they need to make to stay healthy. But sometimes patients focus too much attention on cholesterol when it’s only one of many risk factors for heart disease. "People need to focus on the whole picture," says Dr. Harter. "You can have perfect cholesterol and still have heart problems." One thing you need to be particularly aware of is your family history. The Healthwise® Handbook cites a father or brother who had a heart attack before age 55 or a mother or sister who had a heart attack before age 65 as red flags. Other risk factors include:
All that said, cholesterol is something to monitor with a blood test called a complete lipid profile every five years. Get a copy of your test results to keep on file at home, and go over it with your doctor carefully so you will understand how your numbers compare to the desirable levels. If your good, bad and ugly cholesterol don’t add up well, you can make lifestyle changes and/or take certain prescription drugs to lower your cholesterol. One area of concern with cholesterol is young people. "We don’t start looking for potential heart patients soon enough," said Dr. Harter, suggesting that adolescents whose parents had early heart disease and who are very overweight or borderline diabetic are strong candidates for heart problems. He said it is not a bad idea to do a total cholesterol screening test between ages 14 and 18 on any child. Insurance doesn’t usually pay for it, but these tests are often offered for very small fees at health fairs. More information on cholesterol can be found on page 238 in the Healthwise® Handbook. Partners Nursewise Line nurses can help you with this and other health problems 24 hours a day. Calls are free and confidential. The number is 261-2001 in Anderson County or 1-888-525-1333 in Oconee, Pickens or Hart counties. In addition, the Partners for a Healthy Community website, www.healthy-community.org, provides links to good, credible health information on the Internet. |
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