Have you recently had your lipids or cholesterol checked? When you picked up that report, did you get a little confused when you saw words like LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides? Even though your family doctor said, "Your cholesterol is a little high, control it with food and drinks," do you think it's not as easy to control as he says? Maybe no matter how much you control your diet and exercise, your cholesterol level is not decreasing. If so, this article will be very important for you. Today, let's talk about a doctor who specializes in cholesterol and blood fat problems.
Simply put, who is a lipidologist?
A lipidologist is a doctor who specializes in lipids, the fatty substances in our blood. Just like a cardiologist is a specialist for heart disease, or an endocrinologist is a specialist for diabetes, a lipidologist is a specialist for lipid- related problems.
These lipids are essential for building cells in our body and storing energy. But the problem is that too much of them accumulate in the blood. When that happens, it can lead to serious diseases like heart disease and stroke.
A lipidologist works with your primary care doctor and cardiologist to create a treatment plan to maintain your lipid levels at a healthy level.
What are the main conditions that a lipidologist treats?
There are two types of cholesterol that you may have seen on your cholesterol report: LDL and HDL.
- LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein): This is what we commonly call "bad cholesterol." When these levels increase, they can build up on the walls of our blood vessels.
- HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein): This is what we call "good cholesterol." It helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream and transport it to the liver to be excreted from the body.
When the balance between LDL and HDL is lost, various diseases can occur. Let's understand this further from the table below.
| Medical Term | Simply meaning |
|---|---|
| Hypercholesterolemia | Only the amount of cholesterol in the blood increases. |
| Hyperlipidemia | Increase in all types of lipids (fats) in the blood. |
| Hypertriglyceridemia | An increase in only a type of fat called triglycerides in the blood. |
| Combined Hyperlipidemia | A simultaneous increase in both cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. |
If these conditions are not treated properly, fatty deposits called plaques can build up inside the walls of blood vessels. This can cause blockages in the blood vessels, greatly increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
A lipidologist tries to control your lipid levels and prevent these serious conditions from occurring.
How to control these situations?
To control your cholesterol levels, doctors usually first advise you to change your lifestyle.
- Getting used to a low-fat, healthy diet.
- Staying active and exercising daily.
- If you smoke, stop it completely.
But sometimes the problem is that doing this alone is not enough. Imagine, in some families, no matter how much they control their diet and exercise, their cholesterol does not decrease. The reason for this is a genetic factor that comes from their parents or descendants. This is a specific condition called Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) . Due to this FH condition, the process of removing LDL, or bad cholesterol, from the body is impaired. As a result, the LDL level rises to unhealthy levels.
A person with this genetic condition almost always needs to make lifestyle changes and use medications. This is where the expertise of a lipidologist becomes very important.
How do I know if I need to see a lipedologist?
This is a question that many people have. Does everyone with high cholesterol need to see a lipidologist? The answer is, it usually isn't. Your first step should be to see your family doctor (Family Doctor / GP).
However, you may consider seeing a linguist in the following situations:
- If you have difficulty controlling your cholesterol or triglyceride levels with the medications and advice given by your general practitioner.
- If you are suspected or diagnosed with a hereditary cholesterol disease (such as FH) (for example, if several members of your family have had heart attacks at a young age).
- If you experience excessive side effects when using medications.
- If you have several other diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, along with cholesterol.
In such cases, your family doctor will refer you to such a specialist. Therefore, if you have any doubts about this, first talk to your doctor openly about it.
What are the qualifications to become a lipodologist?
It is important to know this too. Lipidology is a very specialized field. In Sri Lanka, it does not exist as a separate basic medical degree.
Typically, a doctor who has completed a board-certified specialist degree in medicine will be referred to this area. For example:
- Cardiologist
- Endocrinologist
- Specialist in General Medicine
A specialist doctor, such as a lipidologist, works as a lipidologist only after further specialized study in lipid management and gaining in-depth knowledge and experience in it. This means that doctors in this field are highly qualified and experienced.
Take-Home Message
- A lipidologist is a doctor who specializes in treating problems related to blood fats, especially cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Elevated LDL ("bad cholesterol") and triglyceride levels can lead to serious diseases such as heart disease and stroke.
- A healthy lifestyle (diet, exercise) is very important, but for some people, due to genetic reasons, it alone is not enough.
- If you have difficulty controlling your cholesterol levels, or if you have a family history of it, talk to your doctor about it and consider being referred to a specialist.
- Don't be afraid of the numbers on your cholesterol report. And don't ignore them either. You can live a healthy life by getting the right medical advice and controlling it.
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