What is it about ?
Dyslipidemia is the medical term for an abnormal level of fat in the blood. The main fats in the blood are cholesterol and triglycerides.
Fat is essential for good health. They play a role as a building material and in providing energy.
An excess of certain fats in the blood is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The blood vessels can slowly become blocked (this is called arteriosclerosis). Eventually, this can cause a myocardial infarction or a stroke, but also symptoms such as pain in the calves after a long walk (intermittent claudication).
By itself, having too much cholesterol and triglycerides is not a disease. The problem is the diseases that can happen because of this excess fat in the blood. Symptoms may not appear for many years. This is why it is important to act preventively to avoid obstruction of the arteries by arteriosclerosis (primary prevention) or to prevent the progression of existing damage (secondary prevention).
What can you do ?
The most important thing is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This means eating healthy, not smoking, and getting enough exercise.
Our body makes most of the fat on its own; a third comes from food. Not only do we need to eat less fat, but we also need to replace saturated fat with (poly-) unsaturated fat.
Saturated fat is mostly found in foods of animal origin (fatty meat, whole dairy products such as cream, butter, pastries and chocolate). Saturated fat causes an increase in the level of bad cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) in the blood and a decrease in the level of good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) in the blood. The fats of some types of fish (oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and eel) are unsaturated and therefore better. Therefore, eat (fatty) fish instead of meat at least twice a week, and preferably consume lean or semi-skimmed dairy products.
Vegetable fats are unsaturated fats. Rapeseed oil and olive oil are certainly recommended.
“Trans” fats are not good fats (solidified fats). They are unsaturated fats, but with a different chemical structure. They are generally prepared artificially and often used in ready meals to extend their shelf life. It’s also best to avoid consuming refined sugars (called “white carbohydrates”). Eat, for example, wholemeal bread instead of white bread.
Preferably consume fresh products, eat less meat and whole milk products, but more oily fish, vegetables and fruits. If you want meat, take lean meats and skinless poultry. As a snack, it is better to choose a fruit. Also limit the amount of sugar. Drink fewer refreshments and more plain water.
If you are concerned, reduce your alcohol consumption, and quit smoking. If you have trouble sticking to it, have a dietitian, a nutritionist and / or a tobacco specialist accompany you.
Get enough exercise. For example, try to walk for at least 30 minutes a day.
What can the doctor do?
If there is a moderate to severe increase in the risk of cardiovascular problems and if the decrease in the level of fat in the blood is insufficient after changes in your eating habits, the doctor may prescribe medicine to reduce the level of fat. These drugs not only lower the cholesterol level, but also the triglyceride level in the blood.
People in good health, without a hereditary predisposition and who have no other risk factors should not take medicines right away if the level of fat in the blood is slightly increased. After the age of 70, it is not useful to start treatment for lowering cholesterol levels, except in cases of known cardiovascular disease.
There are different groups of drugs that reduce fat levels. Statins are the most important, and are usually the first choice. They slow down the production of cholesterol in the liver and reduce the level of triglycerides in the blood.
When the increase in the level mainly concerns triglycerides, fibrates are sometimes given, often in combination with statins.
Statins have side effects that affect the liver and cause muscle pain. The doctor can then possibly look for another possible treatment.
Want to know more?
- Eating and gaining years of life is possible! (video) – CSS – Superior Health Council
- The food pyramid – Eat Move – Health Question
- Eat better – Christian mutuality
- ‘Good’ and ‘bad’ fats in our diet – Christian Mutuality
- Nutri-Score – SPF Public health, food chain safety and the environment
- Lower your cholesterol with medication? The pros and cons – KCE – Federal Center of Expertise in Healthcare
- Statins – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
- Fibrates – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
Are you looking for more specialized help?
- Smoking Assistance Center (CAF®) – FARES – Respiratory Affections Fund
- Tobacco specialists – FARES – Respiratory Affections Fund
- Find a registered dietitian – Professional Union of French-speaking dieticians
- Find a nutritionist doctor – Belgian Society of Nutritionist Doctors
Sources