High Cholesterol: When To Call A Doctor

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When to Call a Doctor

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 911 or other emergency services.

Symptoms of aheart attack include:

• Severe chest pain, also described as discomfort, pressure, squeezing, or heaviness.
• Pain or discomfort that radiates to the back, jaw, throat, or arm.
• Discomfort in the upper abdomen that is often mistaken for heartburn.
• Sweating, nausea, and vomiting.
• Difficulty breathing, palpitations, dizziness, and fainting.
• Weakness, numbness, and anxiety.

Symptoms of a stroke or TIA include:

• Numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Vision problems in one or both eyes, such as double vision or loss of vision.
• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Severe headache.

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.

Who to See

Any one 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 more difficult to treat, may need to see a specialist, often an endocrinologist.

You may need to see a cardiologist if you are diagnosed with heart disease.

Last updated:	July 11, 2008
Author:	Robin Parks, MS
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD - Cardiology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC