How does hypercholesterolemia cause atherosclerosis?

How does hypercholesterolemia cause atherosclerosis?

If your cholesterol is too high, it builds up on the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup is known as atherosclerosis. This condition causes arteries to become narrowed, and the narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the heart.

What’s another name for hypercholesterolemia?

The medical term for high blood cholesterol is lipid disorder, hyperlipidemia, or hypercholesterolemia.

What is the difference between hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia?

Hyperlipidemia means your blood has too many lipids (or fats), such as cholesterol and triglycerides. One type of hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, means you have too much non-HDL cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood.

How hypercholesterolemia is caused?

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder. It is caused by a defect on chromosome 19. The defect makes the body unable to remove low density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad) cholesterol from the blood. This results in a high level of LDL in the blood.

How does LDL affect heart disease?

The fact is, elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the bad cholesterol, is a major cause of heart disease. LDL causes the build-up of fatty deposits within your arteries, reducing or blocking the flow of blood and oxygen your heart needs. This can lead to chest pain and heart attack.

What is the most common cause of hypercholesterolemia?

Mutations in the APOB, LDLR, LDLRAP1, or PCSK9 gene cause familial hypercholesterolemia. Changes in the LDLR gene are the most common cause of this condition. The LDLR gene provides instructions for making a protein called a low-density lipoprotein receptor.

What are the types of hypercholesterolemia?

They include:

• Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) High total cholesterol.
• Familial defective apolipoprotein B-100. High total cholesterol (such as 350 to 550 mg/dL)
• Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (type 3 hyperlipoproteinemia)
• Familial hypertriglyceridemia.
• Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

What are the five types of hyperlipidemia?

There are five types of primary hyperlipoproteinemia:

• Type 1 is an inherited condition.
• Type 2 runs in families.
• Type 3 is a recessively inherited disorder in which intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL) accumulate in your blood.
• Type 4 is a dominantly inherited disorder.
• Type 5 runs in families.

What is the best treatment for hyperlipidemia?

The basis of treating hyperlipidemia remains diet, physical exercise and weight reduction. Olive oil and nuts have been shown to be beneficial. Statins remain first line drug treatment. Further treatment options are ezetimibe, bile acid sequestrants, fibrates and fish oil.

What foods cause high LDL?

High-cholesterol foods to avoid

• Full-fat dairy. Whole milk, butter and full-fat yogurt and cheese are high in saturated fat.
• Red meat. Steak, beef roast, ribs, pork chops and ground beef tend to have high saturated fat and cholesterol content.
• Processed meat.
• Fried foods.
• Baked goods and sweets.
• Eggs.
• Shellfish.
• Lean meat.

What is the best treatment for atherosclerosis?

Medications for treating atherosclerosis include:

• cholesterol-lowering drugs, including statins.
• angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which may lower blood pressure.
• beta-blockers, which “rest” the heart.
• antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin to prevent blood from clotting and clogging your arteries.

What is familial hypercholesterolemia?

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder that affects about 1 in 250 people and increases the likelihood of having coronary heart disease at a younger age. People with FH have increased blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, sometimes called “bad cholesterol.”

What is hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)?

Hypercholesterolemia is most commonly, but not exclusively, defined as elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); an alternative term is dyslipidemia, which encompasses elevated triglycerides, low levels of HDL-C, and qualitative lipid abnormalities.

What are inherited forms of hypocholesterolemia?

Inherited forms of hypocholesterolemia consist of a group of rare diseases. The best studied are familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) and abetalipoproteinemia (ABL). Clinical diagnosis rests on lipid levels and the pattern of inheritance after secondary causes are excluded.

What is the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in Canada?

 Recent data suggests that the classic disorder, familial hypercholesterolemia has a prevalence of estimate of 1/300,000 as homozygous and 1/250 as a heterozygote. In certain populations such as the French Canadians, Lebanese, and Afrikaners it could be as high as 1/100. [7][8][9]