What is the cause of familial hypercholesterolemia?

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) can be caused by inherited changes (mutations) in the LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes, which affect how your body regulates and removes cholesterol from your blood. About 60-80% of people with FH have a mutation found in one of these three genes.

How does familial hypercholesterolemia affect the body?

Familial hypercholesterolemia affects the way the body processes cholesterol. As a result, people with familial hypercholesterolemia have a higher risk of heart disease and a greater risk of early heart attack. The gene that causes familial hypercholesterolemia is inherited. The condition is present from birth.

Can familial hypercholesterolemia be prevented?

Making diet changes, exercising, and taking your medicines correctly can lower cholesterol level. These changes can help delay a heart attack, especially for people with a milder form of the disorder. Men and women with familial hypercholesterolemia typically are at increased risk of early heart attacks.

What is the life expectancy of someone with familial hypercholesterolemia?

Familial hypercholesterolemia FAQs A: Without treatment, the life expectancy of those with familial hypercholesterolemia can be reduced by approximately 15-30 years. However, in people with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, the life expectancy may only be 20 years or less.

Can I live a long life with FH?

Dealing with a diagnosis If your child is diagnosed and treated for FH early, they can live a normal, healthy life. Keep in touch with your doctor and use the treatments they recommend, and encourage a healthy lifestyle too, and your child can live their life just like any other child.

Is there a cure for familial hypercholesterolemia?

There is no cure for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, the most severe form of FH.

How do you lower familial hypercholesterolemia naturally?

For people who don’t have FH, high cholesterol is often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices. Lowering cholesterol naturally by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking and limiting exposure to secondhand smoke is often the only treatment they need.

What is the best treatment for hypercholesterolemia?

Choices include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altoprev,), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). Bile-acid-binding resins. Your liver uses cholesterol to make bile acids, a substance needed for digestion.

Is familial hypercholesterolemia a disability?

Individuals whose high cholesterol is the result of a genetic disorder, known as Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH), are much more likely to suffer from aggressive, early-onset heart disease that can lead to premature disability or death.Is Hypercholesterolemia Hereditary?

Is familial hypercholesterolemia more common in males or females?

Familial hypercholesterolemia was more prevalent in women than in men, and the prevalence was the highest in the age group 45–54 years in men and 55–64 years in women.

Is there a test for familial hypercholesterolemia?

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) can be diagnosed both clinically and genetically. FH is usually diagnosed clinically with a lipid test that measures the amount of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) in the blood, a physical exam, and a family history.

Is familial hypercholesterolemia life threatening?

However, Familial Hypercholesterolemia is a lifelong condition that is inherited. Otherwise put, your genes cause it. Therefore, it is a lot more serious than simply having high cholesterol caused from diet and it requires more aggressive treatment. FH is a life-threatening disorder.

Is familial hypercholesterolemia a rare disease?

HoFH is very rare (~ 1 in 250,000). LDL-C levels are usually, though not always, > 400 mg/dl. Severe vascular disease including CAD and aortic stenosis are often seen by the teenage years. Without very aggressive treatment including LDL-C apheresis and HoFH specific medications, mortality is common before age 30.

How common is familial hypercholesterolemia?

Familial hypercholesterolemia affects an estimated 1 in 200 to 1 in 250 people in most countries and is thought to be the most common inherited condition affecting the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease).

Can familial hypercholesterolemia skip a generation?

If a parent has FH, each of their children has a one in two chance of inheriting it. It cannot skip generations – you can’t pass on a gene if you don’t have it yourself.

Can genetic cholesterol be lowered?

People with familial hypercholesterolemia can’t control their cholesterol through diet and exercise alone, and may instead need to also use medication. Having a genetic risk for high cholesterol doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have high cholesterol. It just means that you have an increased risk.

Can diet reduce familial cholesterol?

Yes, you need a heart healthy diet. For FH, this means a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and with the right number of calories to prevent obesity. This is in addition to medications or other therapies, since lifestyle alone will not lower cholesterol enough if you have FH.

Is 6.6 cholesterol too high?

TC:HDL ratio You can work it out from your HDL and total cholesterol numbers. This should be as low as possible. Above 6 is considered high.

What are the worst foods for high cholesterol?

Foods high in (unhealthy) saturated fats include:fatty cuts of meat.full fat dairy products (such as milk, cream, cheese and yoghurt)deep fried fast foods.processed foods (such as biscuits and pastries)takeaway foods (such as hamburgers and pizza)coconut oil.butter.