What Causes Hyperlipidemia?

Family History Of High Cholesterol

There is a saying nurture acts on what nature endows, meaning regardless of the lifestyle choices we make, genetics can have an even greater influence on our overall health. With this in mind, a family history of high cholesterol can put an individual at increased risk for developing hyperlipidemia. Our bodies naturally produce cholesterol, and some bodies produce higher levels of it. Individuals with a family history of hyperlipidemia have been shown to have a mutation in the genes that govern the role of the liver in cholesterol disposal. This small change causes the liver to misread signals designed to tell it when there is enough cholesterol in the bloodstream. As a result, it continues to create more.

The odds of developing high cholesterol in a patient with a parent who also suffers from the condition is one in two. Testing to confirm an individual's genetic predisposition is essential, as many individuals show no signs of elevated cholesterol until they suffer a cardiovascular incident, like a heart attack or stroke. It is also important to start monitoring at a young age, as increased levels of cholesterol can present risks to cardiac health throughout a person's life, not just in their later years.

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