Managing lipid levels helps people with high cholesterol lower their risk of heart disease. A lipid profile is a group of tests often ordered together to determine risk of coronary heart disease, and includes total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol (often called good cholesterol), LDL-cholesterol (often called bad cholesterol), and triglycerides. When any or all results are significantly outside desirable ranges, risk of a cardiac event is increased. If they are only slightly outside the desirable level, diet, exercise, and/or medication may be sufficient to reduce the abnormal levels, thereby reducing the risk.

Kenneth Bescak, M.D., diagnostic cardiologist with the Heart & Vascular Center of Northern Arizona, is the only board certified lipidologist north of Phoenix. As one of only six certified lipidologists in Arizona, Dr. Bescak is a nationally known specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of cholesterol disorders, which cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Approximately one-third of all deaths in the United States are attributed to these health concerns