Definitions for "Dyslipidaemia"
There is strong evidence that reducing elevated levels of LDL cholesterol diminishes the risk of coronary heart disease. High levels of HDL cholesterol are also known to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. Therefore raising HDL cholesterol in people with low HDL cholesterol levels may provide benefit. It is also likely that lowering high triglycerides has a similar effect. Reducing lipid levels may also be beneficial in the prevention of stroke and peripheral vascular disease. The first line of treatment is lifestyle modification by improving diet, taking more physical exercise and losing excess body weight. If these measures fail then drug treatment can also be prescribed. A group of drugs called statins A class of drug that lowers cholesterol. are particularly useful for lowering LDL cholesterol. Another group known as fibrates Fibrates are cholesterol-lowering drugs that are primarily effective in lowering triglycerides and, to a lesser extent, in increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. can be used to target triglycerides. Combinations of these can be used if required.
Abnormal levels of lipids (fats) in the blood.
abnormal levels or composition of blood fats. Because these fats are water insoluble they are ferried around on proteins. These ferrying proteins specialise in the load they carry and differ in size depending on how much fat they are carrying. The ‘good cholesterol' is carried on a very distinct protein from the one that carries the ‘bad cholesterol' and those that carry triglycerides, a complex of fatty acid absorbed from food.