A COMPLEX LIPID PROFILE

  MY RECENT BLOOD TEST FOR LIPIDS WERE AS FOLLOWS,  TOTAL CHOL. 153, LDL 89, TRIG. 181, HDL 26, I KNOW MY HDL IS LOW BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO RAISE IT. I TAKE SEVERAL VITAMINS PER DAY, I ALSO HAVE HBP, ESPECIALLY AT THE DOCTORS OFFICE, WHICH I KNOW IS WHITE COAT HYPERTENSION. RECENT HOLTER MONITOR TESTING EKG AND BP, INCONLUSIVE. WITH ALL OF THIS, I FEEL I HAVE A CONDITION CALLED, HYPOALPHALYPOPROTEINEMIA, DUE TO THE LOW HDL. DO YOU AGREE AND IS MY LIPID PROFILE THAT BAD. THANKS.

[CCF CARDIO MD DLB]

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Dear Ralph
Your HDL is really quite low. This is a risk factor for development of heart disease, but is not otherwise a problem. White coat hypertension is worse than having no hypertension at all. Aerobic exercise performed regularly can raise HDL and also lower blood pressure. Check with your doctor to see if it safe for you to start an exercise program.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.