Hypercholesterolemia

Hypercholesterolemia is the term used to refer to a high blood cholesterol level. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is produced by the liver and is a component of all cells found in the body.

All of the cholesterol a person needs is produced in the liver, but another source is dietary cholesterol, which comes from animal food products such as meat, poultry, dairy, egg yolk and fish. Such foods are rich in saturated fats and trans fats, substances that can trigger the liver to make an excess of cholesterol and in some cases, this can lead to hypercholesterolemia.

Cholesterol is required for various bodily functions including the synthesis of cell membranes and certain hormones and the production of substances required for fat digestion. However, a cholesterol level that is too high can increase the risk of coronary artery disease.

Hypercholesterolemia (HC) is an important precursor to many cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular diseases. A report conducted by the American Heart Association showed the prevalence of HC to be 11.9%, with around 28.5 million adults age ≥ 20 years having high cholesterol levels.1 Prevalence of Hypercholesterolemia was found to be 39.3%, highest in Punjab (41.6%) and lowest in Baluchistan (22.7%). Prevalence of Hypertriglyceridemia was 48.9%, with highest rates found in KPK (50.1%) and least in Sindh (46.2%)2

References

  1. Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2018 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018;137:e67–492.
  2. Basit A, Sabir S, Riaz M, Fawwad A. NDSP 05: Prevalence and pattern of dyslipidemia in urban and rural areas of Pakistan; a sub analysis from second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016–2017. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders. 2020 Dec;19(2):1215-25.