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Hyperlipidemia: Having High Cholesterol Is Not A Good Sign

Dr. Srividya Kalavagunta

3 Min Read

Cholesterol is a wax-like fat that is present in certain foods and also produced in the body. When there is too much cholesterol in the blood, it gets deposited on the walls of blood vessels and form plaques. Over the course of time, these plaques become larger and can clog up the blood vessels leading to heart disease, heart attack and stroke. It is important to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in your blood in order to prevent heart complications in the future. While this condition is treatable, it can affect someone for their entire life.

A closer look at cholesterol

There are two main types of cholesterol- LDL (low-density cholesterol) and HDL (high-density cholesterol). LDLs are the bad cholesterol that sticks to your blood vessels and HDL are the good ones that clean up the LDLs and move them to the liver for removal from your body.

What causes hyperlipidemia

Certain foods-Foods rich in saturated fats, and trans fats contribute to hyperlipidemia such as fried foods, processed foods, cheese, red meat, pastries and ice cream.

Sedentary lifestyle– Lack of exercise means that the body is not burning the fat that comes from food. Over the course of time, it accumulates to cause severe problems.

Hereditary- People with a family history of high cholesterol can inherit this condition.

Obesity- Excessive amount of body fats can increase your risk.

Smoking and alcohol- Increases the risk of this condition.

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Health problems that can lead to high cholesterol

Abnormally high cholesterol levels are often found in people with these conditions, as the cholesterol cannot be processed by the body:

It can also be affected by certain medications such as birth control pills, diuretics and certain types of antidepressants.

Treating and managing hyperlipidemia

The main action against high cholesterol is making healthy changes in lifestyle. Even if one suffers from inherited hyperlipidemia, making changes in lifestyle is an important part of the treatment process. Some of the changes that one can make to fight this condition are-

Choosing healthy fats – omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, avocado, olive oil, fish, whole eggs, etc
Daily exercise & losing weight
Cutting out on trans fats
Increasing the consumption of fibre
Quitting smoking and alcohol intake

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Medication requirement will be decided by your doctor. Follow the doctor’s advice on the medications as prescribed to you. Some people may require lifelong adherence to medications and some may be treated over a short term. Follow-ups to check your lipid levels every three to six months may also be advised and ensure the compliance of the same to treat you effectively.

Being aware of the risks of an unhealthy lifestyle can motivate people to take steps against hyperlipidemia. One can make these changes in their lifestyle and actively fight off the risks of high cholesterol.

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Untreated hyperlipidemia can lead to serious diseases like heart attack and stroke. Therefore, it is important to make the necessary lifestyle changes and seek treatment as early as possible. You can now consult the best doctors online on the MFine app. Care is just one tap away!