The Drs: What Is Familial Hypercholesterolemia?
The Doctors shared that high cholesterol can put you at risk for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in our country. But it’s about a lot more than just what you eat. You can inherit it as well, which is what happened to Katherine. She shared that when she was just 15 years old, her doctor discovered that her LDL or bad cholesterol was 385. Normal would be about 100, and she realized that she inherited it. It’s called Familial Hypercholesterolemia or FH. She had a heart attack at the age of 38. She realized then that it was not only her health that was at risk, but also the health of her children.
The Doctors talked to a woman with genetic high cholesterol and shared what risk factors you need to be aware of. (angkrit / Shutterstock.com)
The Doctors welcomed Katherine and Dr Freda Lewis-Hall to the show. Dr Travis Stork asked what advice Katherine would give to people with FH, and she said it’s important that if you have a strong history of high cholesterol or heart disease, to get tested. Katherine said her oldest child inherited FH from her because at the age of 2 she already had LDL cholesterol that was at 220. But because she was diagnosed early and is getting treatment, they’re hoping she won’t experience a heart attack like her mother did.
The Drs: Risk Factors Of Bad Cholesterol
Dr Lewis-Hall said there are millions of people who have cholesterol that is high enough to put them at risk for heart attack or stroke. Dr Stork said cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance, and the good kind is called HDL. Bad cholesterol is called LDL and that is what builds up in your arteries, making them harder, narrower, and even possibly blocking blood flow.
High cholesterol usually doesn’t have any symptoms, so to know if you’re at risk, you should get tested, know your number, and know what that number means to you. Risk factors that can lead to high LDL cholesterol include family history, smoking, obesity, a large waist, lack of exercise, diabetes, and dietary factors.
The Drs: Prevent High Cholesterol
Exercise, eat healthy, and know your family history in order to decrease your risk of high cholesterol. Katherine started the FH Foundation to raise awareness about the under-diagnosed condition. You can also consider participating in clinical trials to contribute to the scientific research happening to find out more about cholesterol.
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