What are the symptoms of familial hypercholesterolemia?
Symptoms
- Fatty skin deposits called xanthomas over parts of the hands, elbows, knees, ankles and around the cornea of the eye.
- Cholesterol deposits in the eyelids (xanthelasmas)
- Chest pain (angina) or other signs of coronary artery disease may be present at a young age.
- Cramping of one or both calves when walking.
What happens if you have familial hypercholesterolemia?
Familial hypercholesterolemia affects the way the body processes cholesterol. As a result, people with familial hypercholesterolemia have a higher risk of heart disease and a greater risk of early heart attack. The genetic changes that cause familial hypercholesterolemia are inherited.
At what age is familial hypercholesterolemia diagnosed?
Data from the FH Foundation’s CASCADE (Cascade Screening for Awareness and Detection) FH registry demonstrated that the diagnosis of FH occurred at a mean age of 50 years, by which time more than one third of the patients with FH had already experienced an atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event.
Is there a cure for familial hypercholesterolemia?
The most common treatment for FH is statin drug therapy. Statin drugs work by blocking an enzyme that produces cholesterol in the liver and increases your body’s ability to remove cholesterol from the blood. They can lower your LDL cholesterol levels by 50 percent or more.
Is familial hypercholesterolemia a death sentence?
Being diagnosed with high cholesterol, heart disease or even FH is not a death sentence. Every person’s health considerations are unique, but by working with your doctor, you can come up with a plan to help manage your health and maintain the strongest heart possible.
Can I live a normal life with FH?
FH has no cure, but it’s treatable. Life expectancy with FH is lower without treatment, but the sooner you receive a correct diagnosis and start medication, the better your outlook and life expectancy. FH is inherited from one or both of your parents and requires treatment with medication to lower your LDL cholesterol.
Do statins work for familial hypercholesterolemia?
Statins are first-line therapy for lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), particularly in heterozygous patients.
What do you feel if you have hypercholesterolemia?
High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to detect if you have it.
How do you lower familial hypercholesterolemia naturally?
Treating FH
So does eating fish, whole grains, vegetables, and vegetable oils — all good sources of unsaturated fats. Other cholesterol-cutting foods include beans, oats, soy protein, nuts, and foods or supplements containing plant sterols or stanols.
Is familial hypercholesterolemia rare?
Recent studies have shown that FH is as common as 1 in 250, making it one of the most common genetic diseases. However, most individuals go undiagnosed and most are undertreated given their very high risk.
How do you test for familial hypercholesterolemia?
A diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is usually based on:
- A simple blood test to measure the amount of cholesterol in your blood. …
- A thorough family history. …
- A physical exam, to look for any physical signs, including cholesterol deposits or bumps under the skin or around the eyes.