BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuFamilial combined hyperlipidemiaMultiple lipoprotein-type hyperlipidemiaFamilial combined hyperlipidemia is a disorder that is passed down through families. It causes high cholesterol and high blood triglycerides. High blood triglyceridesCholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol in your blood can increase your chance of...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Familial combined hyperlipidemia is the most common genetic disorder that increases blood fats. It can cause early heart attacks.Heart attacksMost heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diabetes, alcoholism, and hypothyroidism make the condition worse. Risk factors include a family history of high cholesterol and early coronary artery disease.DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article HypothyroidismHypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. This condition is often called underactive thyroid....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article High cholesterolCholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol in your blood can increase your chance of...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms In the early years, there may be no symptoms.When symptoms appear, they may be due to impaired blood flow to parts of the body and include:Chest pain (angina) or other signs of coronary artery disease may be present at a young age. Chest painChest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cramping of one or both calves when walking. Sores on the toes that do not heal. Sudden stroke-like symptoms, such as trouble speaking, drooping on one side of the face, weakness of an arm or leg, and loss of balance. StrokeA stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack. " If blood flow is cut off for longer th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article People with this condition may develop high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels as teenagers. The condition may also be diagnosed when people are in their 20s and 30s. The levels remain high all during life. Those with familial combined hyperlipidemia have an increased risk of early coronary artery disease and heart attacks. They also have higher rates of obesity and are more likely to have glucose intolerance.Coronary artery diseaseStable angina is chest pain or discomfort that most often occurs with activity or emotional stress. Angina is due to poor blood flow through the blo...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ObesityObesity means weighing more than what is healthy for a given height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. It can lead to other health problems, i...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests Blood tests will be done to check your levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Tests will show:Increased LDL cholesterol Decreased HDL cholesterol Increased triglycerides TriglyceridesThe triglyceride level is a blood test to measure the amount of triglycerides in your blood. Triglycerides are a type of fat. Your body makes some t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Increased apolipoprotein B100Apolipoprotein B100Apolipoprotein B100 (apoB100) is a protein that plays a role in moving cholesterol around your body. It is a form of low density lipoprotein (LDL). ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Genetic testing is available for one type of familial combined hyperlipidemia.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Treatment The goal of treatment is to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease.Atherosclerotic heart diseaseAtherosclerosis, sometimes called "hardening of the arteries," occurs when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the walls of arteries. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / LIFESTYLE CHANGESThe first step is to change what you eat. Most of the time, you will try diet changes for several months before your doctor recommends medicines. Diet changes include lowering the amount of saturated fat and refined sugar. Saturated fatSaturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the unhealthy fats, along with trans fat. These fats are most often solid at room temperature....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Here are some changes you can make: Eat less beef, chicken, pork, and lamb Substitute low-fat dairy products for full-fat ones Avoid packaged cookies and baked goods that contain trans fats Reduce the cholesterol you eat by limiting egg yolks and organ meats Counseling is often recommended to help people make changes to their eating habits. Weight loss and regular exercise may also help lower your cholesterol levels.Make changes to their eating habitsA healthy diet is an important factor in reducing your risk for heart disease.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / MEDICINESIf lifestyle changes do not change your cholesterol levels enough, or you are at very high risk for atherosclerotic heart disease, your health care provider may recommend that you take medicines. There are several types of drugs to help lower blood cholesterol levels. The drugs work in different ways to help you achieve healthy lipid levels. Some are better at lowering LDL cholesterol, some are good at lowering triglycerides, while others help raise HDL cholesterol.The most commonly used, and most effective drugs for treating high LDL cholesterol are called statins. They include lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), simvastatin (Zocor), fluvastatin (Lescol), atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and pitivastatin (Livalo).Other cholesterol-lowering medicines include:Bile acid-sequestering resins. Ezetimibe. Fibrates (such as gemfibrozil and fenofibrate). Nicotinic acid. Nicotinic acidNiacin is a type of B vitamin. It is a water-soluble vitamin. It is not stored in the body. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover am...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article PCSK9 inhibitors, such as alirocumab (Praluent) and evolocumab (Repatha) These represent a newer class of drugs to treat high cholesterol. Outlook (Prognosis) How well you do depends on:How early the condition is diagnosed When you start treatment How well you follow your treatment planWithout treatment, heart attack or stroke may cause early death.Even with medicine, some people may continue to have high lipid levels that increase their risk for heart attack. Possible Complications Complications may include:Early atherosclerotic heart disease Heart attack Stroke When to Contact a Medical Professional Seek medical care right away if you have chest pain or other warning signs of a heart attack.Contact your provider if you have a personal or family history of high cholesterol levels. Prevention A diet that is low in cholesterol and saturated fat may help to control LDL levels in people at high risk.If someone in your family has this condition, you may want to consider genetic screening for yourself or your children. Sometimes, younger children may have mild hyperlipidemia.HyperlipidemiaCholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol in your blood can increase your chance of...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article It is important to control other risk factors for early heart attacks, such as smoking.Open ReferencesReferencesGenest J, Mora S, Libby P. Lipoprotein disorders and cardiovascular disease. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 27.Robinson JG. Disorders of lipid metabolism. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 195.AllVideoImagesTogUnderstanding cholesterol resultsAnimation Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersUnderstanding cholesterol results - Animation LDL cholesterol has gotten a bad reputation, and for very good reason. Having too much of this fatty substance in your blood can clog up your arteries, preventing blood from getting to your heart and out to where it's needed in your body. Checking your LDL levels can help your doctor spot high cholesterol before it can cause a heart attack or stroke. Let's talk today about LDL tests. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. Lipoprotein is a type of protein that transports cholesterol, as well as fats called triglycerides and lipids, in your blood. When you eat too many fatty, cholesterol-rich foods, LDL cholesterol can start to collect in your artery walls. That's one collection you don't want, because if a chunk of that gunk breaks loose and gets lodged in a blood vessel, you could end up having a heart attack or stroke. To check your LDL cholesterol level, you'll need to have a blood test. Your doctor may tell you not to eat or drink anything for 8 to 12 hours before the test, so you can get an accurate reading. During the test, your doctor will draw blood from one of your veins. The needle might sting a little bit, but the feeling shouldn't last for any more than a few seconds. So, how do you know that you have high LDL cholesterol? Well, your LDL cholesterol level (think L for Lousy) will usually be measured along with your HDL, or good cholesterol (think H for Healthy), as well as your triglycerides and your total cholesterol level. Together, these measurements are called a lipid panel. You want your LDL level to be at least below 130 mg/dl, but ideally less than 100 milligrams per deciliter. If you're at high risk of heart disease, it should be even lower than that - less than 70 milligrams per deciliter. And for folks of average risk of getting heart disease, anything over 160 is considered a high LDL level. If you do have LDL cholesterol, you could be at risk for heart disease. Now, some folks have high cholesterol because they have an inherited condition that causes high cholesterol. If your LDL is low, it may be because you're not eating a well-balanced diet or your intestines aren't absorbing the nutrients from the foods that you eat. Ask your doctor how often you should have your LDL, and total cholesterol levels, checked. Depending upon your heart disease risks, you may need to be tested more often. If your LDL cholesterol is high, ask your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medications, diet, and other ways to bring it back down into a normal range.Coronary artery blockage - illustration Atherosclerosis is a common disorder of the arteries. Fat, cholesterol, and other substances collect in the walls of arteries. Larger accumulations are called atheromas or plaque and can damage artery walls and block blood flow. Severely restricted blood flow in the heart muscle leads to symptoms such as chest pain.Coronary artery blockageillustrationHealthy diet - illustration For a healthy diet, replace unhealthy and fattening foods with healthier alternatives, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.Healthy dietillustrationUnderstanding cholesterol resultsAnimation Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersUnderstanding cholesterol results - Animation LDL cholesterol has gotten a bad reputation, and for very good reason. Having too much of this fatty substance in your blood can clog up your arteries, preventing blood from getting to your heart and out to where it's needed in your body. Checking your LDL levels can help your doctor spot high cholesterol before it can cause a heart attack or stroke. Let's talk today about LDL tests. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. Lipoprotein is a type of protein that transports cholesterol, as well as fats called triglycerides and lipids, in your blood. When you eat too many fatty, cholesterol-rich foods, LDL cholesterol can start to collect in your artery walls. That's one collection you don't want, because if a chunk of that gunk breaks loose and gets lodged in a blood vessel, you could end up having a heart attack or stroke. To check your LDL cholesterol level, you'll need to have a blood test. Your doctor may tell you not to eat or drink anything for 8 to 12 hours before the test, so you can get an accurate reading. During the test, your doctor will draw blood from one of your veins. The needle might sting a little bit, but the feeling shouldn't last for any more than a few seconds. So, how do you know that you have high LDL cholesterol? Well, your LDL cholesterol level (think L for Lousy) will usually be measured along with your HDL, or good cholesterol (think H for Healthy), as well as your triglycerides and your total cholesterol level. Together, these measurements are called a lipid panel. You want your LDL level to be at least below 130 mg/dl, but ideally less than 100 milligrams per deciliter. If you're at high risk of heart disease, it should be even lower than that - less than 70 milligrams per deciliter. And for folks of average risk of getting heart disease, anything over 160 is considered a high LDL level. If you do have LDL cholesterol, you could be at risk for heart disease. Now, some folks have high cholesterol because they have an inherited condition that causes high cholesterol. If your LDL is low, it may be because you're not eating a well-balanced diet or your intestines aren't absorbing the nutrients from the foods that you eat. Ask your doctor how often you should have your LDL, and total cholesterol levels, checked. Depending upon your heart disease risks, you may need to be tested more often. If your LDL cholesterol is high, ask your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medications, diet, and other ways to bring it back down into a normal range.Coronary artery blockage - illustration Atherosclerosis is a common disorder of the arteries. Fat, cholesterol, and other substances collect in the walls of arteries. Larger accumulations are called atheromas or plaque and can damage artery walls and block blood flow. Severely restricted blood flow in the heart muscle leads to symptoms such as chest pain.Coronary artery blockageillustrationHealthy diet - illustration For a healthy diet, replace unhealthy and fattening foods with healthier alternatives, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.Healthy dietillustrationRelated Information High blood cholesterol levels(Condition)Cardiovascular(Special Topic)Stable angina(Condition)Diabetes(Condition)Hypothyroidism(Condition)Cholesterol - InDepth(In-Depth)Coronary artery disease - InDepth(In-Depth)Diabetes - type 1 - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 5/8/2022 Reviewed By: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Familial combined hyperlipidemiaMultiple lipoprotein-type hyperlipidemiaFamilial combined hyperlipidemia is a disorder that is passed down through families. It causes high cholesterol and high blood triglycerides. High blood triglyceridesCholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol in your blood can increase your chance of...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Familial combined hyperlipidemia is the most common genetic disorder that increases blood fats. It can cause early heart attacks.Heart attacksMost heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diabetes, alcoholism, and hypothyroidism make the condition worse. Risk factors include a family history of high cholesterol and early coronary artery disease.DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article HypothyroidismHypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. This condition is often called underactive thyroid....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article High cholesterolCholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol in your blood can increase your chance of...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms In the early years, there may be no symptoms.When symptoms appear, they may be due to impaired blood flow to parts of the body and include:Chest pain (angina) or other signs of coronary artery disease may be present at a young age. Chest painChest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cramping of one or both calves when walking. Sores on the toes that do not heal. Sudden stroke-like symptoms, such as trouble speaking, drooping on one side of the face, weakness of an arm or leg, and loss of balance. StrokeA stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack. " If blood flow is cut off for longer th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article People with this condition may develop high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels as teenagers. The condition may also be diagnosed when people are in their 20s and 30s. The levels remain high all during life. Those with familial combined hyperlipidemia have an increased risk of early coronary artery disease and heart attacks. They also have higher rates of obesity and are more likely to have glucose intolerance.Coronary artery diseaseStable angina is chest pain or discomfort that most often occurs with activity or emotional stress. Angina is due to poor blood flow through the blo...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ObesityObesity means weighing more than what is healthy for a given height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. It can lead to other health problems, i...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests Blood tests will be done to check your levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Tests will show:Increased LDL cholesterol Decreased HDL cholesterol Increased triglycerides TriglyceridesThe triglyceride level is a blood test to measure the amount of triglycerides in your blood. Triglycerides are a type of fat. Your body makes some t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Increased apolipoprotein B100Apolipoprotein B100Apolipoprotein B100 (apoB100) is a protein that plays a role in moving cholesterol around your body. It is a form of low density lipoprotein (LDL). ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Genetic testing is available for one type of familial combined hyperlipidemia.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Treatment The goal of treatment is to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease.Atherosclerotic heart diseaseAtherosclerosis, sometimes called "hardening of the arteries," occurs when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the walls of arteries. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / LIFESTYLE CHANGESThe first step is to change what you eat. Most of the time, you will try diet changes for several months before your doctor recommends medicines. Diet changes include lowering the amount of saturated fat and refined sugar. Saturated fatSaturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the unhealthy fats, along with trans fat. These fats are most often solid at room temperature....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Here are some changes you can make: Eat less beef, chicken, pork, and lamb Substitute low-fat dairy products for full-fat ones Avoid packaged cookies and baked goods that contain trans fats Reduce the cholesterol you eat by limiting egg yolks and organ meats Counseling is often recommended to help people make changes to their eating habits. Weight loss and regular exercise may also help lower your cholesterol levels.Make changes to their eating habitsA healthy diet is an important factor in reducing your risk for heart disease.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / MEDICINESIf lifestyle changes do not change your cholesterol levels enough, or you are at very high risk for atherosclerotic heart disease, your health care provider may recommend that you take medicines. There are several types of drugs to help lower blood cholesterol levels. The drugs work in different ways to help you achieve healthy lipid levels. Some are better at lowering LDL cholesterol, some are good at lowering triglycerides, while others help raise HDL cholesterol.The most commonly used, and most effective drugs for treating high LDL cholesterol are called statins. They include lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), simvastatin (Zocor), fluvastatin (Lescol), atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and pitivastatin (Livalo).Other cholesterol-lowering medicines include:Bile acid-sequestering resins. Ezetimibe. Fibrates (such as gemfibrozil and fenofibrate). Nicotinic acid. Nicotinic acidNiacin is a type of B vitamin. It is a water-soluble vitamin. It is not stored in the body. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover am...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article PCSK9 inhibitors, such as alirocumab (Praluent) and evolocumab (Repatha) These represent a newer class of drugs to treat high cholesterol. Outlook (Prognosis) How well you do depends on:How early the condition is diagnosed When you start treatment How well you follow your treatment planWithout treatment, heart attack or stroke may cause early death.Even with medicine, some people may continue to have high lipid levels that increase their risk for heart attack. Possible Complications Complications may include:Early atherosclerotic heart disease Heart attack Stroke When to Contact a Medical Professional Seek medical care right away if you have chest pain or other warning signs of a heart attack.Contact your provider if you have a personal or family history of high cholesterol levels. Prevention A diet that is low in cholesterol and saturated fat may help to control LDL levels in people at high risk.If someone in your family has this condition, you may want to consider genetic screening for yourself or your children. Sometimes, younger children may have mild hyperlipidemia.HyperlipidemiaCholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol in your blood can increase your chance of...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article It is important to control other risk factors for early heart attacks, such as smoking.Open ReferencesReferencesGenest J, Mora S, Libby P. Lipoprotein disorders and cardiovascular disease. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 27.Robinson JG. Disorders of lipid metabolism. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 195.