The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in adult men and women is about 13%; hypercholesterolemia increases the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension.

What exactly is hypercholesterolemia? What are the symptoms of hypercholesterolemia? How to eat to control hypercholesterolemia? Let this article take you to find out!

Hypercholesterolemia is a type of hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia refers to an increase in cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, resulting in an abnormal increase in blood lipids. It can be mainly divided into hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and mixed hyperlipidemia. .

Hypercholesterolemia refers to the patient’s blood cholesterol being higher than the normal value of 200mg/dl; hypertriglyceridemia means that the triglyceride value is higher than 200mg/dl, and a combination of the above two types of mixed hypercholesterolemia Dyslipidemia is when both cholesterol and triglyceride values ​​are higher than 200mg/dl.

Classification of hyperlipidemia

Risk factors for hypercholesterolemia: excessive drinking, family history

The following are 6 risk factors for hypercholesterolemia:

1. Smokes
   
2. Eating foods with too much saturated fat or trans fat
   
3. Sedentary
   
4. Drinking too much
   
5. Too much pressure
   
6. A family member has familial hypercholesterolemia

Inheritance of familial hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a rare genetic disease caused by genetic mutations such as LDLR, APOB and PCSK9. It can be divided into heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

The low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) value in the blood of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia is different from that of ordinary people. Taking patients with homozygous hypercholesterolemia as an example, their LDL-C value is 500~1200mg/ dL is 4 to 6 times that of normal people, but the triglyceride value is normal; the LDL-C value of patients with heterozygous hypercholesterolemia is approximately 220 mg/dL.

In terms of disease incidence, the incidence of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is 1/200~1/250, while the incidence of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is only 1/160,000~1/250,000, so most patients It is heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. If you have hypertension, diabetes, or have suffered from coronary heart disease in the past, early diagnosis can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.

Hypercholesterolemia is often asymptomatic! Regular blood lipid checks are recommended

Most patients with hypercholesterolemia have almost no symptoms, but patients with familial hypercholesterolemia may develop xanthomas (Tendon xanthomas) in their skin due to excessive blood lipids in childhood. Most of these yellow nodules are distributed in the Locations such as elbows, knees, finger joints and Achilles tendon.

Since most health examinations almost always include cholesterol and triglyceride testing, it is recommended that the public undergo blood lipid testing regularly to confirm whether there are any abnormalities in cholesterol.

9 Diet Tips for Hypercholesterolemia

Although high cholesterol is affected by genetics, the “dietary cholesterol” absorbed from food should not be underestimated. In order to control cholesterol within a healthy range, the following 9 dietary suggestions are provided:

1. Control your fat intake and eat less fried, pan-fried or crispy foods, oily soups, braised meat juices, fatty meats, pig skins, chicken skins, duck skins, fish skins, etc.
   
2. It is advisable to use steaming, boiling, cold salad, roasting, roasting, stewing and stewing to cook food.
   
3. Cooking oils should be those that are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, such as canola oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, etc.; use less oil that is high in saturated fatty acids, such as lard, butter, fat meat, coconut oil, and palm oil. and cream etc.
   
4. Eat less hydrogenated fats and oils with high trans fatty acid content, such as cakes, pastries and fast food containing hydrogenated vegetable butter, baked ghee.
   
5. Avoid foods with high cholesterol content, such as offal (brain, liver, kidneys, etc.), crab roe, shrimp eggs, fish eggs, etc. If you already have symptoms of high cholesterol or have a family history of high cholesterol, it is recommended to limit egg yolks to 2 per week.
   
6. Although meat can provide rich protein, it also contains more cholesterol and saturated fatty acids. Therefore, in addition to moderate intake of poultry, deep-sea fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as saury, mackerel, salmon, and tuna, can be eaten in moderation. Fish, etc., are also good sources of protein.
   
7. Choose more high-fiber foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains such as oats and brown rice, and avoid consuming too much refined sugar foods or sugary drinks.
   
8. It is recommended to consume 1 serving of nuts and seeds rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, such as peanuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamia beans or melon seeds, sesame, etc.
   
9. Quitting alcohol, quitting smoking, and exercising regularly can help increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as good cholesterol, and reduce low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) levels, thereby promoting cardiovascular health.