Locations: LA, SF, San Diego, Seattle, Texas, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, New York

Hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia is also referred to as high cholesterol and is a very common problem. This is when there are extra fats (lipids) in the blood. There are many reasons why hyperlipidemia is caused by your diet (if you eat too many fatty foods such as fried foods, crisps, biscuits, chocolate etc. or from saturated fats which are found in foods from animals such as milk, eggs, butter and cheese). The weight also plays a big role, people that are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer, if you are not very active, age plays a role as the cholesterol increases naturally after the age of 20. In women it is low until they reach the menopause, when it will rise and in men over 50, it will rise. Certain diseases can induce hyperlipidemia, such as, hypothyroidism and kidney or liver disease, high cholesterol may run in the family and smoking.

SYMPTOMS OF HYPERLIPIDEMIA

There are no symptoms for hyperlipidemia unless you have a blood test. A few things you may notice that could be linked are high blood pressure and weight gain but it is the blood test that you need to be able to detect this medical problem.

Treatments

Medication

It is usual to try and treat hyperlipidemia through lifestyle changes but if these don’t work then your doctor may prescribe medication such as:

  • Statins like atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Altoprev) and pravastatin (Pravachol) among many more.
  • Bile-acid-binding resins like colesevelam (WelChol), colestipol (Colestid) and cholesturamine (Prevalite)
  • Cholesterol absorption inhibitors like alirocumab (Praluent and evolocumab (Repatha)
  • Fibrates such as gemfibrozil (Lopid) or fenofibrate (Triglide, Tricor and Fenoglide)
  • Omega-3 fatty acid tablets
  • Among other such as cholesterol-lowering medication

Eating Healthy

Whether you have good or bad cholesterol all depends on your diet.

  • Eat healthy fats — lean protein like chicken, turkey and fish are much better than saturated fats like red meat, bacon, sausage and full-fat dairy.
  • Cut out fried food — trans fats are found in fried and processed food. If a product lists “partially hydrogenated oil” try to avoid it.
  • Eat omega-3 — fish, nuts and seeds contain omega-3 and it has been shown to have many heart benefits.
  • Eat more fibre — found in oats, bran, fruits, beans and veg, fibre is good for you heart and can lower your cholesterol levels.
  • More fruit and veg — low in saturated fat and high in fibre, fruit and veg can help keep you healthy.

Lose Weight

A great way to lower cholesterol is to lose some weight, even just 5 or 10 pounds can help, and this is especially important if you are overweight or obese. Try a low-calorie diet and up your exercise rate each day so you continue to burn more calories. Practise portion control and try to cut out sugary drinks.

Be Active

HDL cholesterol levels can go down if you’re not exercising enough, meaning there won’t be enough good cholesterol to flush out the bad. Exercise and help with overall health by losing weight. Try exercising for forty minutes about three or four times a week and start to see a difference in your cholesterol. It’s not difficult to add exercise into your routine. Here are some suggestions:

  • Bike to work
  • Long and brisk walks with your dog
  • Swimming
  • Going to the gym three times a week
  • Use stairs instead of elevators

Quit Smoking

Smoking can raise your triglycerides and lowers the amount of good cholesterol in your body. It can also increase your risk of heart disease, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. Talk to your doctors about ways to quit.

Related Forums

Related Videos

There Are not available any Video.