If you have high cholesterol, then you know that you need to get it down to a lower level in order to reduce your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other health problem. Sometimes this can be done with lifestyle changes, other times it may require medications.

Usually the medical treatment of high cholesterol centers around the approach of lowering the amount of LDL or bad cholesterol in the body. There also some approach that will add the treatment to increase the HDL or the good cholesterol. We look at the process in which high cholesterol is treated below.

The first thing that will happened in the process is to determine your cholesterol level. This is done in the doctor office through a simple blood test where your total cholesterol level and cholesterol ratio will be determined. This number will give the doctor an idea how serious the cholesterol problem is and how aggressive the treatment plan should be.

Once the level of cholesterol is identified, the first thing your doctor will discussed with you is your diet. More often then not, a diet that is comprised of more fresh foods and vegetables will be recommended that will greatly reduce the intake of trans fats and saturated fats.

The next step of your treatment will often include a look at your activity level. Exercise can help improve your good cholesterol levels and help you lose weight. If you are not following a regular exercise routine already, your doctor may recommend some activities for you to try.

A few people may need to start on medication right away. This includes people who have a medical history that includes coronary artery disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, as these people are at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke.

If you are one of the many people who need to start medication, your doctor will usually start with a statin. These help slow down the amount of cholesterol that your body produces naturally, and can help reduce your risk of many of the complications associated with high cholesterol. Other times doctors choose to use other medications, either with or without a statin. These are often designed to prevent the amount of cholesterol that you absorb from food sources. However, do know that statin have side effects.

Periodic check on the cholesterol level to assess the progress of the cholesterol lowering treatment will be conducted by your doctor. If you have choose to lower cholesterol by diet and exercise, these test will tell if medication is needed as well. If you are already on medication, these test will let your doctor know if the dose of your medication are appropriate.

These routine test and check up is the perfect time to talk to your doctor for any concern that you may have. A good example would be the drastic change in diet, many people may not be able to cope and your doctor may recommend a dietitian to help. Another possibility is that you may suffer from the side effects from the medications, where your doctor may change it. Also if you cannot follow the exercise routine due to health reasons, alternative may be suggested.