Dr. Gatien, our new associate, is accepting both DPC patients & general insurance patients. Feel free to call our office for any questions or for scheduling your first appointment.

 

High Cholesterol Specialist

Coho Medical Group

Internists located in Bellevue, WA

High Cholesterol is very common today, but there are effective ways to help control it. Bellevue, WA residents can count on the team at Coho Medical Group for help.

High Cholesterol Q & A

What is High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol happens when cholesterol, a wax-like substance made by the liver and found in some foods, occurs at overly high levels in the body. The body needs cholesterol to work properly, but when cholesterol levels get too high, major health issues may arise.

What Are the Effects of High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol levels can result in a great deal of damage to the body. As the arteries clog up with cholesterol, the heart is no longer able to receive the blood supply it needs. This lack of oxygen-rich blood flow may cause chest pain. It could also result in heart attack or stroke.

How Are HDL and LDL Cholesterol Different?

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is the good cholesterol. It is so called because it works to remove the bad type of cholesterol, the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL,) from the blood. This removal keeps the cholesterol from building up in the arteries, thus preventing heart damage.

What do the Cholesterol Numbers Mean?

The total cholesterol reflects both HDL and LDL cholesterol in the body. There will also be separate HDL and LDL numbers. Total cholesterol numbers should be 200 mg/dL or lower ideally. Borderline total cholesterol is between 200 to 239 mg/dL, and high cholesterol is 240 mg/dL or greater. For LDL cholesterol, good numbers are 100 mg/dL or lower, borderline is 130 to 159 mg/dL, and high is 160 mg/dL or greater. For HDL, good numbers are 40 mg/dL or higher and low is 39 mg/dL or lower.

How Can High Cholesterol be Treated?

Lifestyle changes are often the first choice for high cholesterol treatment. This usually includes eating a healthier diet, especially one rich with omega 3 fatty acids and more soluble fiber. The doctor may also prescribe a medication to lower cholesterol levels.

Insurance

At Coho Medical Group, we accept Premera Blue Cross, Regence Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, First Choice and Health Net. For any patient that is seeking more hands on, long term access to a doctor, we also offer a membership service called Direct Primary Care. If you have any questions about our insurance or our pricing, please call our office at 425-458-7352 to see how we can best serve you.

  Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield
Aetna
Cigna
Coho Membership
First Choice Health
HealthNet
Kaiser Access PPO
Premera Blue Cross
United Health Care