The medical term for high blood cholesterol and triglycerides is lipid disorder. Such a disorder occurs when you have too many fatty substances in your blood. These substances include cholesterol and triglycerides.
How you are treated depends on your age, health history, if you smoke, and other risk factors for heart disease, such as:
Diabetes
Poorly controlled high blood pressure
Family history of heart disease
There are steps that everyone can take to improve their cholesterol levels, and help prevent heart disease and heart attack. Here are the most important ones:
If lifestyle changes do not help or your cholesterol level remains very high, your doctor may may recommend medication. There are several types of drugs available to help lower blood cholesterol levels, and they work in different ways. Some are better at lowering LDL cholesterol, some are good at lowering triglycerides, while others help raise HDL cholesterol.
The most commonly used drugs for treating high LDL cholesterol are called statins.
LDL test (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
The LDL test measures how much low-density lipoprotein(LDL) you have in your blood. LDL is a type of cholesterol. Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (1/23/2008).Date: 09/12/2008
HDL test (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Lipoproteins are made of fat and protein. They carry cholesterol, triglycerides, and other fats, called lipids, in the blood to various parts of the body.This article discusses the blood test used to measure levels of HDL cholesterol in your blood.Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, FACC, Asst. Clinical Prof. of Med, NY Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (1/20/2008).Date: 09/12/2008
VLDL (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
VLDL stands for very low density lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are substances made of cholesterol, triglycerides, and proteins. Reviewer: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 01/23/2008
Cholesterol test (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A total cholesterol test is a rough measure of all the cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood.Cholesterol is a soft, wax-like substance found in all parts of the body. Your body needs a little bit of cholesterol to work properly. Reviewer: Larry A. Weinrauch, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Private practice specializing in Cardiovascular Disease, Watertown, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 01/22/2008
Familial hypercholesterolemia (4 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Familial hypercholesterolemia is a condition passed down through families in which a person has high levels of"bad" cholesterol(low density lipoprotein, or LDL) beginning at birth. The condition can cause heart attacks at an early age.Type II hype...Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (1/23/2008).Date: 09/12/2008
Familial combined hyperlipidemia (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Familial combined hyperlipidemia is a disorder of high cholesterol and high blood triglycerides that is passed down through families.Familial combined hyperlipidemia is the most common disorder of increased blood fats that causes early heart attac...Reviewer: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 01/23/2008
Fat free diet and children (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Children and fat free dietsChildren over age of 2 can eat low-fat and nonfat foods. Fruits and vegetables are healthy snack foods. Reviewer: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 05/02/2009
Margarine vs. butter (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Is margarine healthier than butter? Neither is ideal, because butter is loaded with saturated fat, and almost all margarines have some saturated fat and trans fatty acids. Reviewer: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 05/03/2009
Losing weight (8 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
To successfully lose weight, you must carry out a plan to balance your caloric intake with exercise. Ideally, dieting should be done by eating a nutritionally balanced, low-calorie diet and increasing physical activity.Weight loss- intentional; Di...Reviewer: Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD, family physician specializing in nutrition, fitness, and preventive health, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, and Assistant Clinical Professor, St. Louis University's School of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine.Date: 08/08/2007
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