Cholesterol is like a double-edged sword, containing both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ types. When this balance is disrupted, it can harm your health, leading to complications. Accumulation of bad cholesterol in blood vessels and tissues can affect various organs. It can affect heart, brain, and peripheral blood vessels, and, most seriously, heart issues like ischemic heart disease, angina, and chest pain.
What is High Cholesterol?
High cholesterol, also called as hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolemia, occurs when the balance of cholesterol in the body is disrupted, causing levels to rise above normal. This leads to its accumulation in the blood vessels, restricting blood flow and potentially causing serious complications by affecting the supply of blood to vital organs.
What Causes High Cholesterol
- Genetics: Family history and genetic predisposition can play a role.
- Unhealthy Lifestyle: Diets high in unhealthy fats and a lack of exercise.
- Liver Conditions: Certain liver disorders can affect cholesterol levels.
- Kidney Conditions: Certain kidney disorders, like nephrotic syndrome, can affect cholesterol levels.
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): This hormonal condition can contribute to higher cholesterol levels.
- Other Factors: Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high stress, and the use of glucocorticoid medications.
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Signs and Symptoms of High Cholesterol
Cholesterol typically doesn’t show symptoms until it has progressed, and any symptoms that do appear are usually due to complications.
Here are some signs to watch for:
- Skin: Yellowish deposits may form around the eyes, or at the back of the heel-leg junction, and sometimes in other areas.
- Eyes: If vision problems occur, an ophthalmologist may detect damage caused by high cholesterol during a fundoscopy and refer you to an internal medicine specialist.
- Complications: High cholesterol can lead to conditions like peripheral artery disease (PAD), where walking becomes difficult (e.g., trouble walking three blocks without taking breaks), heart attack, or stroke (medical emergency due to vessel blockages in the brain).
Diagnosing High Cholesterol
Diagnosing high cholesterol is straightforward. If the doctor suspects high cholesterol based on your medical and family history, they will likely request a lipid profile. This test measures the cholesterol levels in your blood.
In some cases, the doctor may also order additional tests, such as a hormonal profile, liver function test, or kidney function test, to identify any underlying conditions contributing to high cholesterol.
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What is the best exercise for high cholesterol?
Exercise helps reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL). Activities like walking, running, cycling, and swimming are effective in managing high cholesterol levels, especially when combined with a low-fat diet.
Diet for High Cholesterol
A healthy diet for managing high cholesterol is the same as a balanced, heart-healthy diet:
- Balance your meals with appropriate portions of fruits, vegetables, dairy (or dairy alternatives), whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Avoid saturated and trans fats, such as full-fat milk, creamy cheeses, heavy cream, poultry with skin, fried foods, fast foods, and processed foods.
- Increase fiber intake by adding more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes to your meals.
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High Cholesterol Treatment
Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause and the extent of damage caused by high cholesterol:
- Lifestyle Modifications: Adopt a healthier diet, increase physical activity, and engage in exercises such as walking, running, cycling, or swimming.
- Medications: Drugs can help lower elevated cholesterol levels.
- Advanced Cases: If complications have developed, procedures like stenting may be necessary to treat blockages in blood vessels.
When should I see a specialist for High Cholesterol?
- Annual Check-ups: If you’re over 30, it’s important to have regular check-ups to catch potential health issues early.
- Family History: If you have a family history of elevated cholesterol, or if a close family member had a heart attack at a young age (before 50), it’s advised to seek professional guidance.
- Sedentary Lifestyle & Poor Diet: If your lifestyle is mostly sedentary and your diet is high in fats, consider seeing a specialist to assess your risk of high cholesterol.
- Yellow Deposits on Skin: If you notice yellow deposits around your eyes, fingers, or in areas like the armpits or groin, it’s time to consult a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
- Chronic Conditions: If you’ve already been diagnosed with hypertension, stroke, heart attack, or diabetes, follow up with your doctor to evaluate the effectiveness of your treatment and monitor your overall health.
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Why Choose Reem Hospital for High Cholesterol Treatment?
At Reem Hospital Abu Dhabi, we offer advanced treatments for high cholesterol, prioritizing your well-being. Our experienced cardiologists and internal medicine specialists work together to provide precise, effective care tailored to address your cholesterol issues and any potential complications.
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Last updated on February 14, 2025
Dr. Rahaf Wagdy is an Egyptian nuclear radiologist and medical content creator who merges her clinical expertise with digital creativity. With over five years of experience in medical content writing in both Arabic and English, she is dedicated to simplifying...
Dr. Iman Esmat is a Specialist Cardiology at Reem Hospital, specializing in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, heart failure, ischemic heart disease and dilated cardiomyopathy. She is also an expert in performing echocardiograms for...
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What are the worst foods for high cholesterol?
Saturated and trans fats are the most harmful for high cholesterol. These include full-fat milk, heavy cream, cream cheese, poultry with skin, fatty cuts of meat, fried foods, and processed foods.
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What happens if your cholesterol is too high?
If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol before, it’s important to contact your doctor for guidance and follow their instructions. If you haven’t been diagnosed yet, it’s recommended to avoid fatty foods until you can schedule an appointment with your doctor to begin a treatment plan.
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What is considered high cholesterol?
- A total cholesterol level less than 5 mmol/L is considered normal.
- A level greater than 5 mmol/L is considered abnormal cholesterol, and needs doctor’s consultation.
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What is genetic high cholesterol?
High cholesterol due to genetic predisposition often runs in families and follows a pattern of dominant inheritance, meaning it can affect most family members. If someone in the family is diagnosed with high cholesterol, it’s important to encourage other family members to get checked as well.
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January 20, 2025
Good service and nice facilities🥰
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January 20, 2025
The best hospital
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January 20, 2025
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January 20, 2025
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January 19, 2025
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January 16, 2025
Very nice hospital and services are incredible , especially the Department of Gastroenterology.
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January 14, 2025
Excellent services
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January 14, 2025
الحمد لله علي التعافي ورحلة العلاج اولا هذا من فضل ربي
ثم مجهودات القائمين علي المستشفي والعياده الدكتور احمد عبدالفتاح بيومي نوفل وطبعا مينفعش انسي الممرضين ولا الاستقبال الاستاذه كريمه علي... see more حسن المعامله جزاكم الله خيرا علي مجهودكم وحقيقي لو هرشح مستشفي او عيادة انف واذن هتكون عيادة انف واذن مستشفي الريم وبالاخص دكتور احمد نوفل والطاقم المعاون ♥️♥️
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January 14, 2025
Very good hospital. Cardiology department is exceptionally good, very attentive staff. Special thanks to Merit, she explained everything in detail when I made an appointment over the phone and... see more accompanied me to the procedures. 10/10
Elina
January 13, 2025
Thank Iman for the good guidance during my medical check up.
Nadine Schubach
January 13, 2025
We recently had our son admitted to this hospital, and we are so grateful for the care and support we received. The staff was exceptional, but we especially want to... see more commend Nurse Jorge for his kindness, compassion, and outstanding skills. He went above and beyond to meet all of our child's needs and made the entire experience much less stressful for us as parents. His genuine care and attention to detail made a world of difference during a challenging time. Thank you to Nurse Jorge and the entire team for the excellent service and dedication to their patients. Highly recommend this hospital!
Reynard Asis
January 12, 2025
Awesome hospital with excellent doctors
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January 10, 2025
Good services with all staffs are perfect
Maaz Khan
January 10, 2025
Best ENT doctor ever
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January 10, 2025
The front desk staff was very helpful and accommodating. Mr Merit and Ms Niran was ready to assist you with all your concerns. I am very happy to meet them.
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January 10, 2025
Good service
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January 9, 2025
Dr.Danya Bushwereb (the Consultant family medicine) is so professional and helpful,she helped me a lot during my treatment journey.Thank you Dr.Danya and Reem hospital,we hope to see more doctors like... see more Dr.Danya
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January 9, 2025
Dra Mavarish - podologist Very professional and competent Came to call me herself at the reception Excelent work
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January 8, 2025
Eiman was amazing and very helpful during my elite medical check up and everything was prompt. Highly recommend to come in the morning as it’s less crowded and reach out... see more to Eiman for getting the best service
Viktoriya Ten
January 8, 2025
شكرا دكتور احمد نوفل و الطاقم كاملا لنجاح عملية ابنتي اللحمية وشفط سوائل الأذن بامتياز حيث لم تعاني من اي الآلام بعد العمليه وهي في عمر السنتين وبضعة أشهر
بارك الله... see more في علمك وعملك
ساعدتني على اكتشاف مشكلة اللحميه و مشكلة التهابات الاذن المتكررة دكتوره ايمان حسن للاطفال ولها جزيل الشكر على متابعتها المستمره ودائما صحة التشخيص والعلاج المناسب و هذا من خلال خبرتها الواسعة و علمها الوافر بارك الله فيك
Marym Rihan
January 8, 2025
Went for an Executive Health Check, really excellent service, all of the doctors were faultless, knowledgeable and excellent Being guided round the hospital to each appointment made the entire... see more visit absolutely seamless
Ben Fryer
January 8, 2025
I had a fantastic experience with the hospital's Orthopedic and Physiotherapy departments, specifically Dr. Farid Guirguis and Mr. Dilshad in PT.
Sherif Hashem
January 8, 2025
Excellent experience, professional full health check undertaken quickly and with excellent customer service.
Ian Smith
January 8, 2025
Signed up for the premier executive package and everything went smooth with the help from Ms Manar. Highly recommended.
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January 1, 2025
Ms. Meritb assisted me for my whole body checkup and was very supportive. It was good experience.
abhishek lone
January 1, 2025
I would like to take this opportunity to say that me and my husband are very blessed to have Dr. Salwa El-Taher as our OB-Gyne. Its our first pregnancy and... see more as expected we are worried and clueless about what will happen. But, with the help of Dr. Salwa we felt calm. She provided us answers/explanation in our questions. Making it easy for us to understand what is happening. Most especially when Dr. Salwa took care of us during labor. Fast decision making for my well-being (during labor) and ceasarian operation. Dr. Salwa took care of us from the very 1st visit up to post-partum check-up. I would definitely recommend Dr. Salwa. Thank you again Doctor! More blessings to you and to Reem Hospital!
Dani Hermogenes
January 1, 2025