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Cardiovascular Endocrinology

Dyslipidemia (High Cholesterol)

Hypertension Treatment | Weight Management | High Cholesterol Treatment | Gaithersburg MD | FrederickCholesterol Cholesterol is a substance that is found in your body and in animal sources. It is found in the bloodstream and body cells of humans. It does serve a purpose, but too much cholesterol in your system is not healthy. It can also be a risk factor for heart disease.

Lowering Your Cholesterol Level Your liver is responsible for producing the cholesterol made in your body. Cholesterol is also found in foods that come from animal sources. This could include meats, poultry, seafood and dairy products. You can lower your cholesterol by eating more fish, fruits, vegetables and grains. You can also lower your cholesterol by reducing the level of fats in your dairy products (using skim or 1% milk), and by choosing leaner cuts of meat.

You can also adopt an exercise program, which has been shown to help increase the HDL (good cholesterol) and lose excess weight.

Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be the result of too much aldosterone produced by the adrenal glands. Endocrinologists can diagnose many of the problems that can result from growths on the adrenal glands or metabolism disorders and can refer patients to surgery to remove the growths if necessary.

Pheochromocytoma

A pheochromocytoma is a rare disorder in which a tumor forms in the center of one or both of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys, and produce hormones that provide instructions to many organs throughout the body. Pheochromocytomas cause the adrenal gland(s) to produce excessive amounts of various hormones, leading to increased blood pressure and/or heart rate in affected individuals.

Treatment for Pheochromocytoma Medications may be prescribed to manage the high blood pressure associated with pheochromocytomas; these medications typically include alpha blockers or beta blockers. Most pheochromocytomas, however, require surgical removal to effectively relieve symptoms. Surgery usually consists of completely removing the affected adrenal gland(s); if both adrenal glands are removed, medications will be prescribed to replace the hormones typically produced by the adrenal glands. Your doctor will develop a customized treatment plan based on your individual condition.


Transgender Hormone Therapy (FTM/MTF)

Transgender hormone therapy is an effective treatment method for those individuals suffering from gender identity disorder and wish to undergo a sexual reassignment.  It can enable a patient to switch their gender permanently as long as they continue the therapy.  Transgender hormone therapy works by suppressing the secondary sexual characteristics of the gender they do not identify with, while also enhancing those of the gender to which they are transitioning.

Female-to-male hormone therapy involves taking medication that will cause the menstrual cycle to cease and create a masculine appearance through male patterns of hair growth, a deepening voice, increased muscle mass and a redistribution of body fat.  This is achieved by the administration of testosterone by injection or through the skin.

Male-to-female hormone therapy involves taking medication that will decrease male facial and body hair, redistribute body fat and reduce muscle mass, encouraging feminine changes to the body shape and increasing the amount of breast tissue.  This is achieved through an estrogen therapy regimen, administered orally, through the skin or by injections, in combination with an androgen suppression medication.

Weight Management

Hypertension Treatment | Weight Management | High Cholesterol Treatment | Gaithersburg MD | Bethesda MDPeople who are overweight or obese face an increased risk of weight-related health problems. Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are just a few of the conditions that have been linked to excessive weight. The management of one's weight is becoming more and more medically relevant to help people improve their level of fitness and prevent these health issues from occurring or worsening.

We provide an in-depth, personalized client evaluation to every patient. We use the InBody 520 segmental analysis method to obtain the most comprehensive body composition information available. In addition to your weight, this machine will calculate your lean body mass, body fat, body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat and more. Our physicians will then use this analysis to customize a weight loss and fitness plan that is exactly suited to each patient's needs.

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