Hyperlipidemia is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease, which is the second leading cause of death in Korea. If left untreated or not properly treated, hyperlipidemia can lead to serious complications.
Hyperlipidemia is a condition in which the lipid component in the blood is increased. The state of high total cholesterol or increased triglycerides in the blood, and the state of high LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in terms of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) is called dyslipidemia or hyperlipidemia.
An increase in triglycerides can cause pancreatitis or cholesterol builds up on the walls of blood vessels, causing atherosclerosis, which can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and stroke.
Hyperlipidemia is caused by direct causes of lipid elevation, such as genetics, gender, age, diet, weight, and lack of exercise. In some cases, it is caused by indirect factors such as hypothyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes, and drug use.
Increased lipid content in the blood… Cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke
Asymptomatic, confirmed by blood test… Diagnosis when total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or higher
As the obese population increases, 2 out of 5 adults suffer… “Limited Life Therapy and Medication Concomitant”
Hyperlipidemia has no symptoms, so it is difficult to detect without a test. Professor Lee Dae-ho (endocrinology department) of Gachon University Gil Hospital said, “People with very severe hyperlipidemia may have changes in their skin cholesterol or triglyceride that appear like acne, but this is very rare.” “It is easy to detect hyperlipidemia with symptoms. not,” he said.
To diagnose hyperlipidemia, a blood test should be done after fasting. Hyperlipidemia is diagnosed when total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or more, LDL cholesterol is 130 mg/dL or more, and triglyceride is 150 mg/dL or more. Healthy adults over the age of 20 can be tested during regular health checkups, and adults with a family history or vascular disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease are advised to take the test more actively.
As the obese population increases, the number of patients with hyperlipidemia also increases. In particular, hyperlipidemia patients are increasing in the younger age group. Statistics show that 2 out of 5 adults over the age of 20 have hyperlipidemia.
Professor Lee said, “Ten to 20 years ago, cholesterol was not relatively high in the younger age group and fell well even with weak drugs.
Exercise, smoking cessation, and diet control are important to prevent hyperlipidemia. However, if hyperlipidemia has already occurred, it is desirable to combine drug treatment. Professor Lee said, “There are many drugs that have been widely proven to prevent cardiovascular disease and are safe. Lifestyle therapy has limitations, so it is recommended to consult with a specialist and combine drug treatment.”
/ Reporter Seungjae Lim [email protected], Illustration / Reporter Okhee Seong [email protected]
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