Hypercholesterolemia High Cholesterol
Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)
What is high cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat that is highly abundant in animal products such as red meat including burgers, steak, and sausage. The Western diet is generally high in foods that contain cholesterol. Over time, cholesterol and other fat begin accumulating in our blood stream a condition called hypercholesterolemia. There is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol in our blood. Good cholesterol is called HDL and bad cholesterol is named LDL.
Bad cholesterol (LDL) eventually makes its way to arteries all over our body. This leads to arterial injury, inflammation, and eventually the development of fatty arterial plaques (atheromas).
Fatty plaques reduce blood flow to organs and …show more content…
If your doctor is worried about a prior stroke or heart attack, they will probably obtain an EKG (electrocardiogram), chest x-ray, and ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram).
How is high cholesterol treated?
High cholesterol is treated with dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as medications. Your doctor will likely recommend a low-sodium, low-cholesterol diet, rich in fruits and vegetables. They may also tell you to avoid red meat and encourage intake of lean meats such as poultry and fish.
Your doctor typically evaluates for other cardiovascular risk factors such as older age, smoking history, diabetes, history of stroke or heart attack. If you smoke, they will advise tobacco cessation.
They may recommend treatment with cholesterol lowering drugs depending on your cardiovascular risk. The most common prescription for elevated cholesterol is a class of medications called statins, which …show more content…
Your primary care doctor typically manages it.
• Hyperlipidemia is typically caused by genetic factors as well as lifestyle – such as diet and activity level
• Complications of high cholesterol include heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease
• The condition may not cause symptoms early on but over time individuals may develop fatty skin deposits
• The most worrisome symptoms are due to heart attack and stroke, such as sudden chest pain or paralysis
• Diagnosis usually requires a fasting lipid panel – your doctor will also typically test your kidney and liver function, and screen for diabetes
• HDL is good cholesterol and LDL is bad cholesterol - A high LDL is worrisome but a low HDL can also be concerning.
• Treatment typically consists of diet, exercise, and medications.
• Statins are the first-line medical treatment for hyperlipidemia: Lipitor (atorvastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin),
Zocor (simvastatin)
• Medications less commonly prescribed: LoCholest (cholestyramine), Colestid (colestipol), Lopid (gemfibrozil), Tricor (fenofibrate), Niacin, Omega-3 fatty
What is high cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat that is highly abundant in animal products such as red meat including burgers, steak, and sausage. The Western diet is generally high in foods that contain cholesterol. Over time, cholesterol and other fat begin accumulating in our blood stream a condition called hypercholesterolemia. There is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol in our blood. Good cholesterol is called HDL and bad cholesterol is named LDL.
Bad cholesterol (LDL) eventually makes its way to arteries all over our body. This leads to arterial injury, inflammation, and eventually the development of fatty arterial plaques (atheromas).
Fatty plaques reduce blood flow to organs and …show more content…
If your doctor is worried about a prior stroke or heart attack, they will probably obtain an EKG (electrocardiogram), chest x-ray, and ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram).
How is high cholesterol treated?
High cholesterol is treated with dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as medications. Your doctor will likely recommend a low-sodium, low-cholesterol diet, rich in fruits and vegetables. They may also tell you to avoid red meat and encourage intake of lean meats such as poultry and fish.
Your doctor typically evaluates for other cardiovascular risk factors such as older age, smoking history, diabetes, history of stroke or heart attack. If you smoke, they will advise tobacco cessation.
They may recommend treatment with cholesterol lowering drugs depending on your cardiovascular risk. The most common prescription for elevated cholesterol is a class of medications called statins, which …show more content…
Your primary care doctor typically manages it.
• Hyperlipidemia is typically caused by genetic factors as well as lifestyle – such as diet and activity level
• Complications of high cholesterol include heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease
• The condition may not cause symptoms early on but over time individuals may develop fatty skin deposits
• The most worrisome symptoms are due to heart attack and stroke, such as sudden chest pain or paralysis
• Diagnosis usually requires a fasting lipid panel – your doctor will also typically test your kidney and liver function, and screen for diabetes
• HDL is good cholesterol and LDL is bad cholesterol - A high LDL is worrisome but a low HDL can also be concerning.
• Treatment typically consists of diet, exercise, and medications.
• Statins are the first-line medical treatment for hyperlipidemia: Lipitor (atorvastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin),
Zocor (simvastatin)
• Medications less commonly prescribed: LoCholest (cholestyramine), Colestid (colestipol), Lopid (gemfibrozil), Tricor (fenofibrate), Niacin, Omega-3 fatty