High cholesterol treatment in Seoul, matched to your risk

What high cholesterol treatment in Seoul looks like at VEI Clinic

Cholesterol travels in the blood inside particles called lipoproteins. LDL cholesterol, often called bad cholesterol, is the main driver of plaque building up in the arteries over decades. High LDL rarely causes symptoms, so most people find out from a health checkup.

High cholesterol treatment in Seoul at our Apgujeong clinic is led by Dr. HyunSung Park, a board-certified internal medicine specialist. Rather than treating a single number, he looks at your whole profile: age, blood pressure, blood sugar, smoking, kidney function, waist size and, importantly, family history of early heart disease or stroke. That determines how low your LDL should be and whether medicine is worth starting now.

What we test, and why

A standard lipid panel measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. Non-fasting samples are fine for most people. A fast of around 8 to 12 hours may be requested if triglycerides are high or a result needs confirming.

• ApoB: counts the number of harmful particles and can be more informative than LDL alone, especially with high triglycerides, diabetes or excess weight
• Lipoprotein(a): a largely inherited risk factor that many guidelines suggest measuring at least once in adulthood
• Glucose, HbA1c, liver, kidney and thyroid tests, which can reveal causes or related conditions
• Blood pressure and body composition, to complete the risk picture
• Coronary calcium scoring, arranged through a hospital, when it would help decide on treatment

Targets and treatment

Current European and American guidelines link LDL targets to overall risk. For people with established heart disease or very high risk, the target is typically below 55 to 70 mg/dL. For high risk, below 70 mg/dL is common, and for moderate risk below 100 mg/dL. Lower-risk people may not need medicine at all. Dr. Park explains where you sit and why.

Lifestyle comes first for everyone: fewer saturated fats from fatty meat, processed meat and butter; more vegetables, beans, oats, nuts and fish; regular activity; limiting alcohol, which particularly raises triglycerides; and not smoking. These changes typically lower LDL modestly and improve triglycerides more.

When medicine is needed, statins are the first choice and are among the most studied drugs in medicine. Muscle aches are the most common complaint; many people who have them can still take a different statin or a lower dose. Ezetimibe can be added, and for very high-risk patients who do not reach target, injectable PCSK9-targeting therapies may be considered through specialist care. We recheck labs six to twelve weeks after any change.

Who this suits, and who needs more

This clinic suits adults with raised cholesterol or triglycerides from a checkup, people with a strong family history who want a proper risk assessment, and those already on treatment who want a review in English while living in Seoul. It works well alongside our diabetes, blood pressure and metabolic health care, since these risks travel together.

Very high LDL from a young age, or a family pattern of heart attacks before 55 in men or 65 in women, can suggest familial hypercholesterolemia. That deserves earlier, stronger treatment and screening of relatives, and we may involve a lipid or cardiology specialist. Very high triglycerides, especially above 500 mg/dL, raise the risk of pancreatitis and need prompt attention.

Red flags: when to call 119

High cholesterol itself is not an emergency, but the conditions it leads to can be. Call 119 or go to an emergency room straight away for any of the following.

• Chest pain or pressure, especially with sweating, nausea or breathlessness
• Pain spreading to the arm, jaw, neck or back
• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side, facial droop or difficulty speaking
• Sudden loss of vision, severe dizziness or fainting
• Severe upper abdominal pain spreading to the back, particularly with very high triglycerides