Hypercholesterolemia Treatment in Phoenix, AZ
What is Hypercholesterolemia?
Hypercholesterolemia indicates you have high levels of cholesterol in the blood. This is the medical term for high cholesterol. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones and digest fatty foods, but too much cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
This is a very common disorder, with about 38 percent of American adults having high cholesterol.
The board-certified cardiologists at Tri-City Cardiology have extensive experience diagnosing and treating hypercholesterolemia. Call (480) 835-6100 to request an appointment at one of our cardiology clinics in the Phoenix area today.
Common Concerns with Hypercholesterolemia
When you have too much cholesterol, sometimes your body can’t remove it. Untreated high cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease and cardiovascular problems.
Common concerns with high cholesterol include:
- Excess cholesterol builds up in the bloodstream
- Excess cholesterol can collect in the arteries, causing them to get clogged
- Clogged arteries can make it difficult for blood to flow normally through your body
- This can lead to heart disease, stroke, or heart attack
- Familial high cholesterol can lead to heart disease at a young age
- Can cause deposits of cholesterol under the skin like bumps around the eyelids, hands, knees, or ankles
Familial Hypercholesterolemia
There are various causes for high cholesterol, but some people have an inherited syndrome. This means the genetic changes that cause familial hypercholesterolemia are inherited. This can cause very high levels of cholesterol.
Familial hypercholesterolemia:
- Is present from birth
- Symptoms may not appear until adulthood
- Affects the way the body processes cholesterol
- Is a genetic disorder caused by a defect on chromosome 19 that makes the body unable to remove low density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad) cholesterol from the blood
- Results in a high level of LDL in the blood
- You only need to get the abnormal gene from one parent in order to inherit the disease (autosomal dominant)
- In rare cases, a child can get the affected gene from both parents, and this can cause a more severe form of the condition
- Can cause heart attacks at an early age
Symptoms of Hypercholesterolemia
Adults and children who have familial hypercholesterolemia have very high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in their blood that can build up and cause issues with the arteries.
Symptoms of high cholesterol are hard to spot, unless the condition is more severe.
Some symptoms of high cholesterol may include:
- Build up of cholesterol deposits on the skin
- Thickening of tendons
- A white or gray ring around the iris of the eye
Your Cardiologist can discuss your medical history with you if you think you may be at risk for high cholesterol. From there, you will likely do some cholesterol and genetic testing to confirm familial hypercholesterolemia.
If you have a relative with familial hypercholesterolemia, like a sibling, parent or child, it is recommended that all be checked for the disorder. This will allow for early monitoring and treatment if necessary.
Moving Forward with Hypercholesterolemia
If you are diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, there are medications and treatments available to help you to control the LDL cholesterol levels.
Treatment for high cholesterol typically includes:
- Statins – medications to block a substance the liver needs to make cholesterol
- Absorption medications – limiting the amount of cholesterol you absorb from the food you eat
- PCSK9 Inhibitor Injections – help by lowering the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood by helping the liver absorb more cholesterol
We can talk with you to make sure you have the right treatment moving forward with high cholesterol. Your Cardiologist is highly trained in the latest advancements and will help you manage your levels appropriately. Give us a call at (480) 835-6100 today.