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High Cholesterol - When to Call a Doctor
- Overview
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Health Tools
- FAQs
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When to Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Making Lifestyle Changes
- Medications
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
High cholesterol usually has no symptoms. Sometimes the first sign that you
have high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart disease is a
heart attack, a
stroke, or a
transient ischemic attack (TIA). If you have any
symptoms of these, call
Symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
- Sweating.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or one or both shoulders or arms.
- Lightheadedness or sudden weakness.
- A fast or uneven heartbeat.
Symptoms of a stroke or TIA include:
- Sudden numbness, paralysis, or weakness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body.
- New problems with walking or balance.
- Sudden vision changes.
- Drooling or slurred speech.
- New problems speaking or understanding simple statements, or feeling confused.
- A sudden, severe headache that is different from past headaches.
Call your doctor for an appointment if you:
- Think you may have diabetes.
- Have family members who have high cholesterol, coronary artery disease (CAD), or diabetes.
- Are concerned about your cholesterol.
- Are having side effects from your medicines.
Who to See
Any of the following doctors, nurses, or specialists can order a cholesterol test and treat high cholesterol:
- Nurse practitioner (NP)
- Physician assistant (PA)
- Family medicine doctor
- Internal medicine doctor
- Cardiologist
- Endocrinologist
A registered dietitian can help you with a diet to lower your cholesterol.
People who have rare lipid disorders, which can be hard to treat, may need to see a specialist, such as a lipidologist or an endocrinologist.
You may need to see a cardiologist if you are diagnosed with heart disease.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: April 22, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Carl Orringer, MD - Cardiology, Clinical Lipidology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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