Hyperlipidemias
What does the term hyperlipidemias mean?
These are hereditary conditions where there is an elevation of blood lipids due to a basic metabolic defect.
The two most common types are the ones discussed in this issue.
1. Familial hyperlipidemia
· This condition is characterized by sporadic abdominal crisis, xanthomatous skin lesions and a high level of triglycerides over 2000 mg/dl
· the abdominal pain has an associated fever, vomiting and elevated wbc count and this may simulate an acute abdomen
· these attacks are associated with a high fat meal
· the treatment of this type of hyperlipidemia is a fat free or low fat diet
2. Familial hypercholesterolemia
· this condition has the feature of atheromatous deposits in the coronary and great vessels and in the cardiac valves which may caused anginal pains during childhood and that may lead to myocardial infarction and sudden death in adolescence
· the serum cholesterol and phospholipids in the affected children are elevated but their triglycerides are low
· clinically, these affected children are given dietary management wherein polyunsaturated fats are advised
· some children are given anticholesterol drugs
Furthermore, Secondary hyperlipidemias are also seen in the pediatric age group. And what is this condition all about? This develops in diseases where lipid metabolism is affected as a consequence of disturbances of protein and carbohydrate metabolism.
This secondary hyperlipidemias are common in the following conditions:
· Nephrotic Syndrome
· Diabetes mellitus
· and Glycogen Storage disease