Lipid disorder is the term used by doctors for high blood cholesterol and triglycerides. Lipid disorder happens when you have high levels of fatty substances in your blood. Cholesterol and triglycerides are these fatty substances.
Lipid disorders actually increase your risk for both atherosclerosis and heart disease.
It is not unusual for high cholesterol to be hereditary. High cholesterol is also associated with:
1/ High fat diets
2/ Diseases including diabetes, hypothyroidism and kidney problems
3/ Various medications that include birth control pills, estrogen, corticosteroids, some diuretics and beta blockers
4/ Different lifestyle factors that include lack activity and alcohol abuse
When you combine smoking with high cholesterol you put yourself at greater risk for heart disease.
Also, as a rule, lipid disorders are usually more common with men rather than women.
The tests that doctors use to diagnose lipid disorders include:
a- Lipoprotein Test
b- Lipoproteina Analysis
c- An HDL Test
c- A test for LDL
The type of treatment you receive will depend on your age, backround & whether or not you smoke. Other risk factors taken into consideration include:
* Diabetes
* Problems with high blood pressure
* If you have a family history of heart disease
There are, of course, steps that you can take to reduce high cholesterol levels. This in turn will help to prevent problems with your heart and the risk of a heart attack. The following are some of the thing that you can do:
1- Consuming a diet that is low in saturated fat. Such a diet includes whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruit.
2- Establish a regular exercise routine and stick to it.
3- If you are overweight, go on a diet.
4- If you smoke, quit.
5- Drink less alcohol.
6- Get regular cholesterol screenings from your doctor.
In the event that lifestyle changes don’t work your doctor will recommend medication.
Statins are the most commonly prescribed medicine to lower cholesterol. Statins are often successful in reducing cholesterol levels in a relatively brief period of time. Unfortunately, the down side is that they can cause some serious and harmful side effects.
Another approach is to use natural herbal supplements. There are some herbs that are both mild and effective. The down side to this is that they can take six months to work. The good news is that there are no harmful side effects.
If you have high cholesterol you will have to continue with your improved diet and treatment, whatever it is, for the rest of your life. Reducing your cholesterol levels will slow the progression of atherosclerosis. This process can even be reversed with the right dietary changes.