Lipid Disorders
Lipid disorders develop when fatty substances build up in your blood. These substances include cholesterol and triglycerides.
Left unchecked, these buildups, commonly known as high cholesterol and high triglycerides, can lead to many other health problems, including high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). They can also increase your risk for developing heart disease and suffering from a stroke.
Visit our Health Library to learn more about lipid disorders we treat:
Lipid disorders treatment in Washington, D.C.
At MedStar Washington Hospital Center, you can depend on a highly skilled and experienced team of endocrinologists to help manage your lipid disorder. We work with all of your other specialists, including cardiologists and vascular surgeons, to offer you the most advanced and effective treatment available.
To facilitate this multidisciplinary approach, we use a common computer system called an Electronic Health Record (EHR), that helps us easily communicate, and gives us access to all the information we need to coordinate your care and monitor your condition.
Hypercholesterolemia treatment: Our approach
To manage high cholesterol, we recommend a combination of lifestyle changes and medication when necessary.
Lifestyle changes that can help reduce cholesterol levels include:
- Eating a heart-healthy diet that includes fiber-rich fruits and vegetables and avoids saturated fats, fast foods and commercially baked products
- Exercising regularly
- Losing weight, if you are overweight
- Quitting smoking
There are a variety of medication options available to help lower your cholesterol when diet and exercise are not enough. We will work with you to prescribe a medication that will be most effective for you.
Hypertriglyceridemia treatment: Our approach
Conditions like obesity, diabetes and hypothyroidism can lead to hypertriglyceridemia. Our approach to treatment starts by getting these underlying problems under control.
We also recommend making lifestyle changes that include:
- Avoiding alcohol
- Eating a healthy diet that avoids excess calories and foods high in saturated fats and carbohydrates
In some cases, you may also need medication to help keep triglyceride levels under control. We will work with you to find a medication that will be most effective for you.
Contact Us
To make an appointment, please call 202-877-0333.