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What Is High Cholesterol?
Cholesterolis a fatty molecule that your cells need to function.
These molecules are made in your liver, but they also come from your diet and other sources.
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While you need cholesterol to survive, having too much of it in your blood can cause health problems.
Recap
Not all cholesterol is bad.
This is the best way to tell if your cholesterol levels are unhealthy.
Cholesterol levelscan creep up to unhealthy levels with nosymptomsat all.
However, over time cholesterol buildup in your body can cause problems with circulation.
This can affect your heart and brain in several ways.
Is High Cholesterol Hereditary?
Familial hypercholesterolemiais a hereditary form of high cholesterol.
Roughly one in 200 Americans has familial hypercholesterolemia, but only 10% know it.
People who have genes from both parents need appropriate diagnosis and treatment to live a healthy life.
Your risk is much higher if both of your parents carry one of these genes.
If you have familial hypercholesterolemia, you will have to take medications to keep your cholesterol levels in check.
Ways to Prevent High Cholesterol
Making healthy lifestyle choices can help you keep your cholesterol under control.
This includes checking your cholesterol levels regularly and taking medications that can lower your cholesterol.
You cant prevent familial hypercholesterolemia because its in your genes.
These people will need to manage their condition with medications and lifestyle changes to prevent complications.
Familial hypercholesterolemia can go undetected and put you at risk of conditions like heart attack or stroke.
Early detection and proper management can help you keep your cholesterol under control and prevent serious complications.
you might lower your cholesterol levels to some degree if you have familial hypercholesterolemia by making healthy lifestyle choices.
Cleveland Clinic.Cholesterol: what you better know about high blood cholesterol.
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Familial hypercholesterolemia.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Familial hypercholesterolemia.
American Heart Association.Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).
American Heart Association.How to get your cholesterol tested.
2017;9(2):76-91. doi:10.4330/wjc.v9.i2.76
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing high cholesterol.
