World Heart Day, 29 September 2015
What is Hyperlipidemia?
Hyperlipidemia refers to increased levels of lipids (fats) in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides. Cholesterol can build up in your arteries and form plaque. As plaque builds up, your arteries become narrow, and less blood flows through. When plaque decreases blood flow to your heart, you may have chest pain. If plaque completely blocks an artery that carries blood to your heart, you may have a heart attack. Plaque buildup can also increase your risk of a stroke.
World Heart Day, 29 September 2015
Types of cholesterol and Triglyceride
There are two main types of cholesterol:
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
Note: The US National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends that all adults 20 years or older have a fasting lipid profile done. A lipid profile consists of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL- cholesterol and triglycerides. Experts recommend the lipid profile be repeated every 5 years if normal.
Triglycerides: High triglyceride levels are also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Triglyceride levels are divided as follows:
- Normal - less than 150 mg/dL
- Borderline high - 150 to 199 mg/dL
Note: Research found that for every 10 percentage points cholesterol was reduced, the risk of death from heart disease dropped by 15 percent.
World Heart Day, 29 September 2015
Risk Factors Which Can Cause Hyperlipidemia
- Age of older than 45 if you’re a man, or older than 55 if you’re a woman
- Low HDL cholesterol (HDL less than 40 mg/dL)
- Having a family history of premature coronary artery disease (a father or brother younger than 55 with coronary artery disease or a mother or sister younger than 65 with coronary artery disease)
- Smoking cigarettes
- Having high blood pressure
World Heart Day, 29 September 2015
Symptoms
Most people with high cholesterol don't have any symptoms until cholesterol-related atherosclerosis causes significant narrowing of the arteries leading to their hearts or brains. The result can be heart-related chest pain (angina) or other symptoms of coronary artery disease, as well as symptoms of decreased blood supply to the brain (transient ischemic attacks or stroke).
World Heart Day, 29 September 2015
Treatment
The initial treatment of high cholesterol should always be lifestyle changes. This means altering your diet and getting more exercise. Some people respond dramatically to dietary changes.
Eat heart-healthy foods
The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends the following diet:
- Fat: about 25% to 30% of calories
- Protein: about 15% of calories
- Carbohydrates: about 50% to 60% of calories
- Cholesterol: less than 200 milligrams per day
Note: Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to significantly reduce the risk for sudden death caused by cardiovascular disease in patients with hyperlipidemia.
World Heart Day, 29 September 2015
Physical activity
Regular exercise and activity can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.
World Heart Day, 29 September 2015
Cholesterol-lowering medication
If your cholesterol is not controlled with diet and other lifestyle changes, your doctor may recommend that you take one or more of these medications.
There are five types of cholesterol-lowering medications:
- Bile acid-binding resins, including cholestyramine and colestipol
- Niacin
- Fibrates, including gemfibrozil, fenofibrate
- Statins, also called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, including lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin.
- cholesterol absorption inhibitors (ezetimibe)