Causative factors:
Causes of dyslipidemia can be divided into primary and secondary causes. Most important primary cause is hereditary. Known family history (in parents or siblings) of dyslipidemia may cause dyslipidemia in an individual. List of secondary causes are quite high and largely responsible for dyslipidemia in adults. Secondary causes are modifiable factors and associated with life style of an individual. Thus, they are preventable and treatable.
Lifestyle:
Most important secondary cause is sedentary lifestyle with excess intake of fat containing food. Consumption of red meat, fatty dairy products, etc. increase total cholesterol. Lack of exercise further aggravates the risk of increase in blood cholesterol level.
Various habits like smoking, consumption of alcohol, etc. associated with lifestyle of an individual are prone to develop dyslipidemia. Smoking causes damage to the walls of blood vessels. As a result fatty deposits accumulate in blood. Smoking also decreases level of good cholesterol HDL.
Obesity:
Obesity is an independent risk factor for dyslipidemia. Increased body weight, increased body mass index (ratio of weight and square of height) and waist circumference are some important parameters to assess obesity.
Diseases:
Diabetes is an important risk factor for dyslipidemia. Elevated blood glucose level contributes to increased LDL level and decreased HDL level
Symptoms:
Dyslipidemia does not produce any symptom. A blood test is the only way to detect dyslipidemia.
Complications:
If untreated or neglected, dyslipidemia can lead to serious complications. High level of bad cholesterol cause damage to the blood vessels and can cause accumulation of cholesterol in the walls of the blood vessels. As a result, blood flow through the vessels is decreased and that may lead to following complications:
- Chest pain- If blood flow through the vessels supplying the heart is decreased then chest pain is felt.
- Heart attack- If blood flow through the vessels supplying the heart is completely blocked by a clot then heart attack takes place.
- Stroke- Similarly, if blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked, stroke occurs.
Tests:
The blood test to detect cholesterol levels in blood is called ‘Lipid Profile’ test. Various parameters included in the test are- total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides (a form of fat).
Treatments:
Life style changes like dietary modifications, exercise and weight loss are important aspects for treatment of dyslipidemia. Medications are another important aspect of treatment of dyslipidemia.
Choice of drugs or combination of drugs depends on various factors like age, individual risk factors, various parameters of lipid profile test, etc. Drugs used for elevated LDL levels are statins, bile-acid binding resins and cholesterol absorption inhibitors. Drugs used for elevated triglyceride are fibrates, niacin and Omega-3 fatty acid supplements.
Life style changes: Life style changes are essential for prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia.
- Weight loss: Increased weight contributes to increased bad cholesterol. So, an ideal body weight should be maintained.
- Dietary modifications: Saturated fat should be avoided from diet. Food rich in cholesterol like red meat, egg yolk, whole milk products should be restricted or avoided. Diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables containing high fibres. High fibre rich diet decreases bad cholesterol.
- Exercise: Regular exercise can control dyslipidemia. Brisk walking, swimming, cycling, etc. should be included in the daily routine of an individual.
- Smoking: Cessation of smoking helps to lower bad cholesterol level. It has numerous other health related benefits also.
Prevention
Healthy lifestyle that contributes in treatment of dyslipidemia also helps to prevent dyslipidemia. Following are the guidelines to prevent dyslipidemia:
- Weight loss or maintenance of ideal body weight
- Regular exercise
- Low fat, low salt diet rich in dietary fibres and fruits
Cessation of smoking and alcohol consumption.
