What causes familial hyperlipidemia?

What causes familial hyperlipidemia?

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) can be caused by inherited changes (mutations) in the LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes, which affect how your body regulates and removes cholesterol from your blood. About 60-80% of people with FH have a mutation found in one of these three genes.

How serious is familial hypercholesterolemia?

People who have familial hypercholesterolemia have a higher risk of heart disease and death at a younger age. Heart attacks may occur before age 50 in men and age 60 in women. The rarer and more severe variety of the condition, if undiagnosed or untreated, can cause death before age 20.

Is there a cure for familial hypercholesterolemia?

Without treatment, men with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia can get heart disease in their 40s, and women can get it in their 50s. There’s no cure, so you’ll need to take drugs and follow a heart-healthy diet throughout your life.

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.

Can you live a long 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.

How can I lower my familial cholesterol?

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.