Dr. Rahman provides comprehensive preventive care and treatment for Manhattan, NY, patients with high cholesterol or diabetes, including screening tests, ongoing evaluations and advanced treatment options aimed at ensuring each person gets the most appropriate care for his or her needs.
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the body does not process glucose, or blood sugar, correctly. Processing blood sugar relies on a hormone called insulin. In some cases, the body does not produce enough insulin; in others, the body doesn't use insulin correctly. In some people, both conditions can occur. When sugars are not processed, organs don't get the energy they need to function properly and sugars build up in the blood. Diabetes requires careful management of blood sugar and insulin to avoid organ damage, diabetic shock or even death.
Cholesterol is a substance that's necessary for many body functions and processes. Some cholesterol is manufactured by the body and some comes from food. When we have too much of so-called bad cholesterol (LDL, or low-density lipoprotein) or too little “good” cholesterol (HDL, or high-density lipoprotein), we can develop serious medical problems, including atherosclerosis (“hardening” of the arteries), heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
How is high cholesterol managed?
If a blood test reveals you have high cholesterol, there are medications that can help you lower your levels and keep them under control. In addition, there are lifestyle changes you can make, including eating a diet low in saturated fats and high in fiber, getting more exercise and losing weight, that can help lower your levels of “bad” cholesterol as well.