What is hypercholesterolemia, what folk remedies are used to treat the disease?

Hypercholesterolemia is an increase in cholesterol levels in the blood. Such a seemingly safe phenomenon can cause diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, cholelithiasis, cholesterol deposits, and obesity. Note that there is a special dietary supplement for people with cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia - Nolipid. The mechanism of Nolipid's work is based on the action of policosanol, a natural compound extracted from sugar cane. Nolipid is not a drug. Policosanol has been shown to be safe in people with heart and liver problems, older adults, and people with other risk factors.

Doctor's opinion: Endocrinologist of the National Regional Medical Healthcare Center "CRH1" R.A. Vershin

What is hypercholesterolemia?

Hypercholesterolemia is a condition characterized by increased cholesterol levels in the human body. As a rule, this is not an independent disease, but a symptom of concomitant diseases. Such a problem cannot be left unattended, as it can provoke negative consequences. After all, it is cholesterol that causes obesity and atherosclerosis.

Scientists associate the spread of pathology with food preferences in different countries. In places where the diet is focused on a variety of meat dishes, hypercholesterolemia in people is more common.

Note! The amount of cholesterol close to 5 mmol per liter of blood is already a reason to think about your health.

Cholesterol accumulates due to any disorders. It is deposited on the walls of blood vessels and organ tissues, thereby causing blockage in the circulatory system and all sorts of problems in the functioning of the body.

What is the normal blood cholesterol level?

• For an ordinary healthy person under the age of 40 without chronic diseases, the normal level of cholesterol in the blood is up to 5.2 mmol/l.
• For a person who has had a heart attack or stroke, the normal level does not exceed 4.5 mmol/l.
• For a person suffering from diabetes, the norm is no higher than 4.2 mmol/l.
• An indicator of 5.2-6.2 mmol/l indicates an increased risk of damage to blood vessels.
• A reading above 6.2 mmol/l is usually found in people who have chronic diseases of the liver, heart, etc.

Biochemical blood test (normal values):

• Total cholesterol – no more than 5.2 mmol/l.
• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is the norm for men 2.1-4.8 mmol/l, for women 1.9-4.5 mmol/l.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the norm for men 0.8-1.6 mmol/l, for women 0.9-2.3 mmol/l.
• Triglycerides – less than 2.0 mmol/l.

Types of hypercholesterolemia

The classification of the pathological condition differs according to the method of occurrence and course. The World Health Organization identifies the following forms:

1. Primary. There is no exact reason for the development of this condition, but there is reason to believe that the main factor is genetics. Primary increased cholesterol formation occurs due to defective genes. As a rule, damaged DNA passes from one of the parents, and in rare cases from both.
2. Secondary. Develops as a result of other diseases.
3. Nutritional. In this case, hypercholesterolemia develops due to poor diet. Most likely, the patient eats a lot of meat and unhealthy foods.

When does hypercholesterolemia occur?

As a rule, the causes of the disease lie in:

• regularly taking certain medications;
• diabetes mellitus;
• nephrotic syndrome (NS);
• liver diseases such as fatty liver;
• hypothyroidism.

There are risk factors, which include regular stress, physical inactivity, arterial hypertension, and genetics (SG). In addition, people who are overweight are susceptible to hypercholesterolemia, the reasons for which lie in bad eating habits and metabolic imbalances according to ICD 10.

Another reason for the development of the disease lies in uncontrolled eating of food that increases cholesterol levels (for example, fried potatoes with lard). And regular drinking of alcohol-containing drinks also contributes to the deposition of plaques, because Alcohol is usually eaten well with unhealthy foods.

Causes of the disease

Hypercholesterolemia can develop due to various factors:

1. The main reason is an incorrect diet. Frequent consumption of foods that are too high in calories increases cholesterol levels. Saturated fats attach to the walls of blood vessels. This leads to the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques. In the future, such accumulations can completely block the vessel and disrupt the blood supply. This situation is most dangerous for the heart and brain. This can lead to heart attack and stroke.
2. An important factor is heredity. If the defective gene was passed on from one of the parents, then problems with blood vessels cannot be avoided.
3. A concomitant disease can provoke a failure. These include diabetes mellitus, lack of thyroid hormones and various liver diseases, hypertension.
4. Long-term use of medications can cause problems.

Symptoms

Hypercholesterolemia is a specific indicator determined using laboratory diagnostic methods (lipid profile). In this case, the overall cholesterol level is determined, which does not carry any special information, because it consists of triglycerides and low- and high-density lipoproteins according to ICD 10.

Laboratory diagnosis is aimed at dividing total cholesterol into elements; it calculates the effect lipoproteins have on the walls of blood vessels.

Sometimes, in advanced cases, the disease may have external symptoms, thanks to which the doctor can find out the correct diagnosis. There are also certain symptoms that indicate hereditary secondary hypercholesterolemia. These include:

• xanthomas - cholesterol nodules collected over the tendons;
• lipoid corneal arch indicates the presence of HS, in the age category up to 50 years;
• xanthelasmas are characteristic symptoms consisting in the presence of yellow-gray nodules under the upper tissue of the eyelids (a person without medical education may not even notice them).

The main symptoms arise only as a result of the development of the disease, which slowly acquires a severe form and a host of other accompanying diseases.

Symptoms

Hypercholesterolemia is not a disease, but one of the laboratory indicators. High cholesterol can only be detected through research. A slight deviation from the norm does not appear outwardly. The main signs can be observed only in advanced cases.

Symptoms of hypercholesterolemia include:

1. Xanthoma. Dense nodules that contain cholesterol. Localized over the tendons.
2. Xanthelasma. Small yellow or orange lumps on the eyelids.
3. Changes in the arc of the cornea. On examination, there is a gray rim around the cornea.

Important! The appearance of any of the symptoms is a reason to visit a doctor!

What is the diagnosis?

First, the doctor interviews the patient for complaints. Anamnesis is also studied (the presence of a heart attack, stroke or vascular atherosclerosis in the past may indicate a possible increase in cholesterol in the blood). In addition, the doctor may ask whether the patient's parents have a cardiovascular disorder (this is necessary in order to obtain information about familial hypercholesterolemia). Table. Tests that are prescribed for suspected GC.

Reasons for suspecting hypercholesterolemia are provided by an analysis of a family history with confirmed cases of lipid metabolism disorders, atherosclerosis and its complications. A physical examination does not reveal any signs of obvious functional disorders of the internal organs. The diagnosis is confirmed by clinical tests, in particular, biochemical blood tests. To exclude hypothyroidism, an additional test for the content of thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroxine is prescribed.

Consequences

The most dangerous consequence of increased cholesterol is atherosclerosis. This disease destroys blood vessels. In the future, if blood circulation is impaired, necrosis of the limb is possible.

When atherosclerotic plaques damage the carotid arteries, brain function is disrupted. This can lead to memory loss and stroke.

If cholesterol is deposited on the walls of the aorta, then further blood flow will eventually stretch its walls and form an aneurysm (protrusion). Aortic rupture can lead to internal hemorrhage and death.

Manifestations of the disease

High blood cholesterol levels by themselves do not cause any symptoms. A person does not even know about his problem until he takes blood tests.

Symptoms of this disease may be as follows:

• High cholesterol level in the patient's blood

• Cholesterol deposits on the knees, elbows and buttocks – xanthomas.

• Chest pain caused by narrowing of the coronary vessels - angina pectoris.

• Heart attacks that occur at a relatively early age.

Mechanism of familial hypercholesterolemia

Cholesterol is delivered to cells through the bloodstream. LDL molecules attach to special cellular receptors, as if created for them (like a “key to a lock”). Thanks to the presence of these receptors, cholesterol penetrates cells and performs its natural functions.

A gene on chromosome 19 called the LDLR gene encodes these cellular receptors. With familial hypercholesterolemia, patients inherit a mutation of the LDLR gene, which disrupts the development of cholesterol receptors, their number and structure. This means that LDL is not absorbed well enough by cells, remaining free in the bloodstream. High levels of LDL in the blood lead to the development of atherosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks and other serious diseases.

Inheritance of familial hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a so-called autosomal dominant disease. In a large number of cases, the defective gene is inherited from a single carrier; in rare cases, both parents are carriers.

1. A defective gene in one of the parents.

If one parent carries one normal and one defective gene in a pair, then each child has a 50% chance of inheriting one mutated gene. The risk of developing coronary vascular diseases at an early age depends on the age and gender of the sick child:

• 50% of men with this disease develop coronary artery disease before they reach age 50.

• 100% of men born to a carrier of familial hyperlipidemia will suffer from coronary disease by age 70.

• About 85% of these men will have a heart attack before they reach 60 years of age.

• 12% of women who inherit this mutation will develop coronary artery disease before age 50. About 74% of them will suffer from coronary disease by age 70.

2. A defective gene in both parents.

In this case, the prognosis is more pessimistic - every fourth child (25%) inherits two defective genes in a pair. At the same time, the child develops severe coronary diseases in the first decades of life, even in childhood. This form of familial hypercholesterolemia is resistant to treatment. Despite all measures, the risk of a heart attack remains very high. Patients may experience intense deposition of excess cholesterol under the skin - numerous xanthomas on the knees, elbows, and buttocks.

Diet

According to medical research, 20% of cholesterol enters the body through diet. That is why treatment of hypercholesterolemia always begins with adjusting the diet. Following simple nutritional recommendations can improve your overall condition.

Note! Lowering cholesterol too quickly can cause depression and aggression.

The menu should reduce the amount of carbohydrates and animal fats, and the basis of nutrition should include legumes and lean meats. The basic nutritional rules are as follows:

1. The basis of the diet should consist of fiber and complex carbohydrates. This includes vegetables, fruits and grains. You need to consume about 200 grams of cereals and 600 grams of fresh vegetables and fruits per day.
2. Consume dairy and fermented milk products in moderation. Fat sour cream, butter and cream are strictly prohibited.
3. Do not eat more than 2 egg yolks for 7 days.
4. Reduce the amount of salt in food.
5. Do not eat after 18:00.
6. Organize your meals throughout the day so that you don’t feel hungry. Otherwise, the body may begin to form reserves.
7. Eat lean meats (chicken, turkey, beef) and fish (hake, pollock).
8. When cooking poultry, do not use skin or fat.
9. Exclude red meat, offal, fried and smoked foods from the menu.
10. It is not allowed to eat chips, mayonnaise, fast food and other harmful foods.

Causes of hypercholesterolemia

The reason for the increase in cholesterol levels in the blood, and, consequently, the cause of hypercholesterolemia, may be the excessive intake of cholesterol from food and its insufficient breakdown in the body. Also, the causes of hypercholesterolemia are associated with tension in higher nervous activity and changes in hormonal levels can also be attributed. Basically, the signs of hypercholesterolemia are not clearly felt by the patient, especially at the initial stage. However, over time and the progression of this disease, symptoms of hypercholesterolemia appear, characteristic of hypertension or atherosclerosis.

Treatment of hypercholesterolemia

If you have been diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, treatment or its main non-drug component is diet.

The goals of such a diet are to reduce the intake of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, increase the intake of unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, and easily digestible carbohydrates from food.

Initially, treatment of hypercholesterolemia involves reducing the consumption of foods rich in saturated fatty acids. Meat products should be consumed boiled, dairy products - only low-fat. You should replace butter, sour cream and fatty cheeses with soft margarine and vegetable oils.

It should be remembered that limiting the consumption of saturated fatty acids reduces the concentration of cholesterol in the blood twice as much as increasing the consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

It is necessary to reduce the consumption of egg yolks, liver, kidneys, brains, fat, fatty meats rich in cholesterol.

The bulk of your food should be fruits and vegetables containing complex carbohydrates and fiber. It is better to replace meat dishes with fish.

Treatment with traditional methods

Treatment of hypercholesterolemia should occur in the following areas:

• reducing the amount of cholesterol;
• cleaning of blood vessels;
• strengthening general condition and preventing heart diseases.

Each of the above problems can be solved using proven folk recipes.

Recipe 1.

Components:

• 10 grams of dioscorea root;
• a glass of clean cold water.

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients and heat in a water bath for 40 minutes. Strain. Take 2 tablespoons 30 minutes after meals for 25 days. If necessary, treatment can be repeated after 2 weeks.

Recipe 2.

Components:

• 1 gram of dried celandine leaves;
• a glass of boiling water.

Preparation

Mix the ingredients and let it brew for 3 hours. Take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day.

Important! Do not exceed the dosage! Celandine is poisonous in large quantities.

Recipe 3.

In the morning, drink 20 grams of flaxseed oil. The course is 40 days with a break of 20 days.

Drug treatment

Today, many are inclined to argue that hypercholesterolemia is amenable to alternative therapy. However, treatment with folk remedies does not always bring favorable results, so it is important not to forget about medications.

Statins

They reduce the level of cholesterol in cells and slow down the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver. Moreover, statins destroy lipids, eliminate inflammation, and reduce the likelihood of damage to healthy parts of blood vessels.

Ezetimibe

Treatment with this remedy prevents the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines, however, such treatment is partial. In reality, only 20% of cholesterol comes from food, and the remaining 80% of cholesterol is formed in liver cells.

Fibrates

These drugs reduce triglycerides while increasing the level of high-density lipoproteins.

Cholic acid sequestrants

Treatment with this group of drugs helps the body remove cholesterol contained in fatty acids. Side effects include the speed of digestion processes and disturbances in taste perception.

Prevention

Following simple rules will help prevent the development of pathology in the body. The following recommendations must be followed:

• control body weight;
• adhere to proper nutrition;
• to refuse from bad habits;
• exercise;
• do not be stressed;
• undergo regular medical examinations.

High cholesterol and vascular problems are not uncommon. In various countries, such problems are diagnosed in 20-30% of the population. The main thing in such a situation is to start the fight for your health in time. Following simple recommendations can significantly improve a person’s condition and prevent the development of dangerous complications.

Diagnostics

The examination is carried out under the supervision of an endocrinologist. A number of activities are required:

Oral survey of patients regarding complaints

It is important to identify all symptoms. The clinical picture suggests the essence of the disorder. History taking

Used as a measure to identify the etiology of the disorder. Family history, previous illnesses, and current abnormalities are studied. It makes sense to evaluate your lifestyle, diet, and bad habits. General blood analysis. Used to identify the most severe forms of hypercholesterolemia. Biochemical research. Also a lipid profile. It is used actively as a basic measure. Some melons can provide a visual assessment of the tissue. The tendons of the hands and joints are palpated, the eyelids and the cornea of ​​the eye are also examined. Manifestations of this kind do not always occur, therefore there are no guarantees of obtaining information.

As necessary, the condition of internal organs is assessed. Ultrasound, X-ray, angiography.

Treatment

The initial stage of treatment is that the patient needs to give up bad habits (alcohol, smoking) and adhere to an “anti-cholesterol” diet.

Basic nutritional recommendations:

• completely eliminate fats of animal origin, as well as pork, lamb (turkey and chicken are allowed in small quantities);
• It should be remembered that offal (liver, heart, lungs, etc.) also contain a high amount of fat, so these products should also be removed from your diet;
• dairy “cholesterol” products are sour cream, full-fat cottage cheese, cheese above 30%;
• eggs (meaning the yolk) should also be excluded from the diet (experts recommend eating no more than two eggs per week).

It should be cooked by steaming or boiling. Immediately before cooking, it is necessary to trim off excess fat from the meat and remove the skin from the chicken.

The diet must include fresh vegetables and fruits. It is recommended to season the salad with olive oil. You can also eat rye or bran bread, cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal). Fresh juices, mineral waters, and unsweetened tea are allowed to drink.

Treatment with drugs

Medicines are prescribed in severe cases, when negative changes have already occurred in the internal organs or blood vessels. The treatment is extensive and therefore carried out in a hospital setting.

Table. Drugs that lower blood cholesterol levels.

When a diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia is made, treatment should begin first of all with a strict diet. It consists of completely avoiding eating foods high in fat and cholesterol (butter, sour cream, egg yolks, jellied meat, liver) and increasing the amount of carbohydrates, especially fiber. You can only eat boiled meat; you should include a lot of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, fish and seafood in your diet. Together with the diet, physical exercise is determined, which will make it possible to reduce the negative impact of cholesterol entering the body. You can engage in almost any sport (morning jogging, swimming, cycling, skiing). A membership to the gym, fitness or aerobics wouldn't hurt. If you properly combine diet and exercise, it is possible to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 10%, which, in turn, will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 2%.

The doctor may also prescribe medication with special drugs called statins. They are specifically designed to reduce blood cholesterol because they are highly effective and can be used for long-term treatment (there are virtually no side effects). The following statins are used in practice: Rosuvastatin, Simvastin, Lovastatin, fluvastatin sodium, Atorvastatin calcium. If we give a general description of statins, we can say that they reduce the risk of stroke and recurrent heart attack. When using these drugs, it is necessary to conduct a biochemical blood test. This is done so that if cholesterol levels normalize, you can stop taking them. It is imperative to know that hypercholesterolemia is a disease when self-medication with statins is strictly prohibited. Only the attending physician prescribes the course of treatment with these drugs, the timing and dose.

Treatment of hypercholesterolemia should not be prescribed independently. The limit of your competence is general preventive recommendations. Medications should be selected exclusively by a doctor based on your complaints, tests and examination.

Among medications, doctors prescribe statins. This group of drugs suppresses the liver's production of cholesterol. In addition, they reduce the cholesterol content inside the body's cells. They facilitate the process of lipid destruction. Taking statins leads to a decrease in inflammation in the wall of the affected vessel. When taken, the duration and quality of life of patients increases. Statins inhibit the growth of existing cholesterol plaques, thereby slowing the progression of the disease and delaying the most serious consequences.

Understanding what hypercholesterolemia is, it is equally important to know how to treat lipid metabolism disorders. When high cholesterol levels in the blood are initially detected, non-drug treatment is first recommended. First of all, you need to adjust your diet. The diet for hypercholesterolemia is aimed at reducing the consumption of animal fats while increasing the content of carbohydrates and coarse fiber. It is advisable for patients to give up fatty foods of animal origin and switch from meat to sea fish and seafood. Lean varieties of meat are preferred, boiled, baked or stewed. It is very important to keep your body weight under control: obesity is one of the risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis. In addition, excess body weight increases the load on the heart.

A necessary addition to the diet is dosed physical activity with a sufficient supply of oxygen. Active sports help burn fat, including excess cholesterol.

Nutritionists and cardiologists strongly recommend limiting or eliminating alcohol consumption. Alcohol provokes overeating, aggravates the course of gout, and increases the level of triglycerides in the blood. Incompatible with a number of drugs. When you give up alcohol and tobacco, it simultaneously reduces the risk of developing atherosclerosis significantly. It has been proven that when you quit smoking, the content of substances in the blood increases that prevent the formation of cholesterol deposits on the walls of blood vessels.

The effect of physical activity and diet for hypercholesterolemia may not be enough. This refers to familial hypercholesterolemia. In such cases, drug therapy is required. Patients are prescribed statins, drugs that lower blood cholesterol levels. This group of drugs is intended for long-term use; the course of treatment is carried out with mandatory monitoring of cholesterol levels in the blood. Statins are incompatible with alcohol. The specific drug, dosage and regimen are prescribed only by a doctor; self-medication is strictly prohibited.

In some cases, patients may be prescribed cholesterol absorption inhibitors. These drugs prevent the absorption of cholesterol from food, but their effectiveness is limited due to the natural metabolism of this substance.

To bind and remove excess bile acids, drugs from the group of sequestrants are used. Fibrates, drugs that increase the content of high-density lipoproteins, which prevent the development of atherosclerotic lesions, can be used together with statins. In addition to diet correction, patients are prescribed omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

In severe cases, patients are advised to undergo extracorporeal blood purification of excess cholesterol.

Treatment of hypercholesterolemia consists primarily of prescribing an appropriate diet. It is necessary to exclude fatty foods from the diet, as well as spicy, fried and smoked foods. In addition, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of eggs, since they also contain a fairly large amount of cholesterol. It is known that the norm for consumption of eggs is two per week, but no more.

If the diet does not bring positive results, and the cholesterol level not only does not decrease, but also, on the contrary, increases, then special medications should be prescribed. These include drugs such as Atoris, simvastatin, atorvastatin, vasilip. But it should be remembered that a specific drug and its required dosage are prescribed only by the attending physician after the necessary examination. Self-medication is strictly prohibited.