212.696.5900

274 Madison Ave, Suite 304 (Btw 39 and 40th str)
New York, NY 10016

Thursday 2 February 2012

Here’s one less stress in NYC: Info on cholesterol screening and the perfect primary care doctor

What is this thing called cholesterol that forces us to eat bland cereals loaded with fiber in order to control it?  And when should people start worrying about it enough to get a cholesterol screening?
To start, you’ve always had cholesterol working in your body. In essence it’s a fat, or, a lipid, found in the bloodstream that is soft and waxy in appearance. Like other lipids and busy substances found naturally in the body it has a purpose: it forms cell membranes, vitamin D, a few hormones, and some bile acids that aid in processing the fats we eat. And like many cells and lipids in the body cholesterol cannot travel on its own; it needs to hitch a ride with something to move from cell to cell. Lipoproteins, then, are the special carries that move cholesterol around so it can do its job. It is an imbalance of two types of lipoproteins, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which cause alarm and force people to make routine appointments with a primary care doctor.
While LDL carries out some important functions in the body, it is considered “bad” cholesterol. It has a tendency to transport cholesterol into the inner artery wall where they can get stuck, one after the other building on each other, causing the formation of plaques, which are a kind of swelling that blocks passage ways in our blood stream. These plagues can eventually rupture, causing blood clots and, if serious enough, may result in heart attack or stroke.
Our “good” cholesterol, then, is carried out by HDL which you can test for in any walk in clinic in NYC, which is able to remove the cholesterol that has been lodged into our artery walls and transport them back to the liver for recycling. In healthy people, about 30 percent of cholesterol is transported by this “good” HDL. When a person lacks enough HDL to counteract LDL they can develop coronary heart disease.
As mentioned before, cholesterol occurs naturally in the body, for the most part. Our liver and cells produce about 75 percent of cholesterol in the body, while 25 percent comes from animal fats we eat. Eating too many trans fats and saturated fats increase the amount of “bad” LDL in your body, so it is possible to develop bad cholesterol levels due to poor diet and lack of exercise.
Yet many people inherit high levels of bad cholesterol from their parents or grandparents. So even if you eat perfectly healthy and exercise regularly, you could still be at risk for high cholesterol. This is why it is extremely important to visit a primary care doctor in NYC for a cholesterol screening regularly to measure your levels of LDL and HDL. Many medical journals recommend men aged 35 year and older and women aged 45 year and older get routinely screened for high cholesterol. However, if bad cholesterol or high blood pressure runs in your family you need to get tested regularly starting at age 20.
If you’re searching for a great doctor in the tri-state area, visit the Medical Clinic in NY for reliable blood testing. Their office offers incredibly reasonable rates for insured and uninsured alike, with clear pricing and a list of insurance companies it accepts on its website at cholesterol screening NYC. Their professional medical staff will answer all of your questions and offer up to date advice on the best methods for maintain your cholesterol levels. Visit their website or call in at 212-696-5900 to make an appointment.
Don’t wait for your symptoms to erupt; get your cholesterol screening as soon as you’re able.