Familial Lipid Disorders
Topic Overview
A familial lipid disorder is a condition that runs in families. It causes very high levels of cholesterol. This condition can cause a person to get coronary artery disease (CAD) while still young.
Because familial lipid disorders are rare, your doctor may only suspect one if you have:
- Very high cholesterol levels. For example, LDL cholesterol might be over 190 mg/dL. Total cholesterol might be over 300 mg/dL.
- A family history of high cholesterol.
- A family history of early CAD.
- Certain results from a physical exam. These results include xanthomas, a skin condition in which small bumps of fat appear under the skin.
Your family doctor may not have much experience with familial lipid disorders, so you may have to see a specialist, such as an endocrinologist. And some cardiologists specialize in lipid disorders as well as heart problems.
Types of familial lipid disorders
There are different types of lipid disorders. They include:
-
Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL)
- High total cholesterol
- High LDL (such as more than 190 mg/dL)
- High triglycerides
- Low HDL
-
Familial defective apolipoprotein B-100
- High total cholesterol (such as 350 to 550 mg/dL)
-
Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (type 3 hyperlipoproteinemia)
- High total cholesterol and high triglyceride levels (from 300 to 1,000 mg/dL)
-
Familial hypertriglyceridemia
- Very high triglycerides (such as 200 to 500 mg/dL)
-
Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia
- High total cholesterol (such as 350 to 550 mg/dL)
Related Information
References
Other Works Consulted
- Genest J (2015). Lipoprotein disorders and cardiovascular disease. In DL Mann et al., eds., Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 10th ed., pp. 980-1000. Philadelphia: Saunders.
Credits
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Current as ofDecember 6, 2017
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Current as of: December 6, 2017