What do you need to know about familial hypercholesterolemia?
If your doctor suspects you have FH, he or she may refer you for genetic counseling and testing for FH. 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.
How does autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia affect the parents?
Autosomal recessive inheritance means the condition results from two altered copies of the gene in each cell. The parents of an individual with autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia each carry one copy of the altered gene, but their blood cholesterol levels are usually in the normal range.
What foods are good for familial hypercholesterolemia?
Good sources include oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits and carrots. Increasing physical activity. Maintaining a healthy body weight. With familial hypercholesterolemia, your doctor likely will also recommend that you take medication to help lower your LDL cholesterol levels.
Is the Nord physician guide for familial hypercholesterolemia free?
The NORD Physician Guide for Familial hypercholesterolemia was developed as a free service of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and it’s medical advisors. The guides provide a resource for clinicians about specific rare disorders to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of their patients with this condition.
What can you do to lower your cholesterol if you have FH?
For people with FH, exercising and healthy eating habits are important, but often not enough to lower their cholesterol to a healthy level. Medicines, such as statins, are needed to help control cholesterol levels. If you have FH, finding the disorder early and treating it can reduce your risk of heart disease by about 80%.