If you’ve been diagnosed with cholesterol that is too high or low, you could benefit from seeing a lipid specialist. Also referred to as lipidologists, lipid specialists are highly educated, trained, and experienced in treating lipid disorders, which include cholesterol disorders.
Having a specialist monitor your cholesterol levels and provide valuable advice regarding your diet habits can make a big difference in your overall health. Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol predisposes you to develop heart problems, including heart attack and stroke, later down the road.
Typically, patients are referred to a lipid specialist if early treatment with a primary care physician fails to bring cholesterol to a healthy level.
Who are Lipidologists?
Lipid specialists are medical professionals who specialize in lipidology, which entails diagnosing, managing, and treating disorders involving lipids. Examples of lipids include cholesterol and triglycerides. High cholesterol is a problem that affects millions of Americans. With the emotional and financial toll on a patient who develops cardiovascular diseases, patients should focus their attention on treating existing lipid disorders as early as possible. Because cholesterol problems can be dangerous later down the road, lipidologists offer preventive care and early diagnosis and treatments for disorders that can eventually lead to bigger health problems.
Lipidologists can prescribe lipid-lowering drugs depending on the type of dyslipidemia you have. Primary dyslipidemia means your body is producing too much LDL. Secondary dyslipidemia is high cholesterol levels caused by your lifestyle or preexisting chronic health conditions. Eating greasy foods high in saturated fat and living a sedentary lifestyle contribute to high LDL levels. Diabetes and metabolic syndrome can also contribute to high cholesterol levels.
Visiting a Lipid Specialist’s Clinic
A lipid specialist’s clinic is designed to examine, test, and treat patients with lipid disorders. Your cholesterol levels are measured through blood tests. The results are used to determine your lipid profile. Lipid specialists offer a more advanced test for cholesterol levels compared to the standard blood test. An advanced cholesterol test available at your lipidologist’s office will show multiple cholesterol subclasses and qualitative measurements of your risk for cardiovascular disease.
A lipid specialist will assess your lipid profile and make the necessary recommendations in diet and lifestyle. You will receive diet and lifestyle recommendations, and your lipidologist will oversee the modifications and measure their effectiveness. In addition, a lipid specialist can prescribe specific medications to lower lipid levels such as PCSK9 inhibitors, LDL apheresis, Juxtapid (lomitapide), and Mipomersen sodium. Your lipidologist can make changes to the dosage as well as the medication depending on your progress.
Lipid Specialist in Tucson, Arizona
Board-certified internal medicine doctor and clinical lipidologist, Dr. Robert E. Lending, screens and treats patients with lipid disorders through counseling and medication.
There are many ways to treat lipid disorders, and you can rest assured knowing that your treatment will be highly individualized according to the specificities of your condition.
Dr. Lending aims to manage your cholesterol levels in order to prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases and to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
For personalized medical care, call Dr. Lending’s clinic at (520) 795-4291 or request an appointment now. We are excited to give you the VIP treatment you deserve.
