High Cholesterol

Around 25 million Americans have high cholesterol, but many people don’t realize they have it until a routine checkup catches it. Because high cholesterol often develops without noticeable symptoms, Ruth Odoi, MD, offers personalized preventive care and screenings at Ruth Odoi Internal Medicine in Rochester, New York. Understanding how high cholesterol affects your health and the importance of screening can help you protect your heart and overall well-being. Schedule an appointment by calling the office or using the online booking feature today.

How does high cholesterol impact overall health? 

Cholesterol helps your body build cells and produce certain hormones, but if cholesterol levels become too high, it can begin to accumulate in your artery walls.

Over time, these deposits form plaque, which narrows and hardens the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This condition reduces blood flow throughout your body and significantly increases the risk of serious health complications, including:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Peripheral artery disease
• Other cardiovascular conditions

Because heart disease remains a leading cause of death, managing cholesterol is an important part of maintaining your long-term health and reducing preventable risks.

How can I tell if I have high cholesterol ? 

One of the challenges of high cholesterol is that it typically causes no symptoms. Most people feel completely healthy even when their cholesterol levels get elevated.

In rare cases, individuals with inherited cholesterol disorders may develop visible signs such as fatty deposits around the eyes or under the skin. However, for the vast majority of people, there are no warning signs that indicate cholesterol levels are too high.

For this reason, regular preventive care and routine cholesterol screenings with Dr. Odoi are so important. Blood testing can identify high cholesterol before it causes serious health problems.

How is high cholesterol diagnosed? 

A simple blood test called a lipid panel can diagnose high cholesterol, which measures several key markers, including:

• Total cholesterol
• LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
• HDL (“good”) cholesterol
• Triglycerides

Dr. Odoi evaluates these results along with other factors that influence cardiovascular risk, such as your:

• Age
• Family history
• Blood pressure
• Smoking status
• Diabetes
• Overall health

Regular cholesterol screenings are recommended for most adults, even when they feel well, because early detection allows for earlier intervention and better outcomes.

What can I expect from a personalized plan to treat high cholesterol? 

Treatment for high cholesterol is not one-size-fits-all. Your provider creates a personalized plan based on your cholesterol levels, medical history, lifestyle, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Many treatment plans begin with healthy lifestyle changes, such as improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and quitting smoking.

Dr. Odoi may also prescribe medication to help lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. She discusses the most appropriate options and monitors your progress through follow-up visits and repeat testing.

Call the office or book online now to schedule a high blood cholesterol evaluation at Ruth Odoi Internal Medicine.