What are the symptoms of high cholesterol?

High cholesterol has a great impact on physical health, especially for some middle-aged and elderly people, who are prone to symptoms of high cholesterol, and some may also have coronary heart symptoms. Therefore, we must pay attention to detect these problems in time and take timely treatment measures.

1. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels are significantly elevated

Familial hypercholesterolemia is an autosomal dominant genetic disease with an incidence of 1:500 in the population. It is characterized by significantly elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, often exceeding 61 mmol/l, accompanied by tendon xanthomas and premature coronary heart disease. The main cause of the disease is the reduction or lack of the number of specific LDI-receptors on the surface of the liver, which causes the liver's ability to clear LDL-cholesterol in the blood circulation to decrease, thereby leading to an increase in the level of LDL-cholesterol in the blood circulation. Depending on the number of I-DL receptors, there are two types: homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

2. Xanthomas and muscular xanthomas

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is extremely rare clinically, with an incidence of only one in a million. Due to the lack of LDL receptors, these patients have very high serum total cholesterol levels shortly after birth, generally between 18.1 and 31.1 mmol/L. As people age, skin and muscle xanthomas can develop in many parts of the body. Most patients have severe and extensive atherosclerosis before the age of 40, and the coronary arteries, carotid arteries, iliac arteries, femoral arteries, etc. are all affected. Some children may even die of myocardial infarction at the age of 3.

3. Symptoms of coronary heart disease

Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is not uncommon in clinical practice. The number of LDL receptors in these patients is only half of the normal number, so their serum total cholesterol level is significantly higher than that of normal people. In most patients, the serum total cholesterol level can eventually reach 9.1-12.9 mmol/L, accompanied by the occurrence of skin xanthomas and muscle xanthomas. Patients often develop coronary heart disease prematurely. Male patients usually develop coronary heart disease symptoms between the ages of 40 and 50, while female patients develop the disease about 10 years later than male patients.