Hypercholesterolemia
(High amounts of Cholesterol in the blood)
What is it
There are two kinds of cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL). People that have this disorder have high levels of LDL (Bad Cholesterol) because the liver cannot remove it properly. Higher levels of HDL (Good cholesterol) actually helps lower the risk of a heart attack. So when you have high levels of LDL in the blood, it makes your risk of a heart attack go up. Men who have this usually have heart attacks until they are 40 or 50 years old. Women that have this usually have a heart attack by 50 or 60 years old. Most symptoms don't happen until atherosclerosis clogs the arteries or veins.
How you Get it
You can inherit the disorder, although it is very uncommon, get it by eating fatty foods constantly, and/or by not getting enough exercise. It is most common in people who are overweight or obese.
Fun Facts
- Although a lot of people have been diagnosed with Hypercholesterolemia, a small percentage of them got it because of a genetic disorder as you would need 3 genes mutated.
- If you were able to look at the artery that was clogged with cholesterol, it would look like it was a frozen stick of butter.
What a Doctor can do About it
A doctor can see if you have the disease by performing a simple blood test. A drug can also be prescribed but like other treatment, it doesn't totally solve the problem.
Treatment
You can go on a diet and not eat as much fatty foods which can lower the level of cholesterol in the blood by up to 15%. And you can get at least 120 mins of activity a day. You can also quit smoking if you are. There are also drugs that you can take to lower the levels. The