Lipids and Cholesterol

Hyperlipidemia is an umbrella term that refers to any of several acquired or genetic disorders that result in a high level of lipids (fats, cholesterol and triglycerides) circulating in the blood. The term hyperlipidemia can cover many conditions, but for most people, it comes down to two well-known terms: high cholesterol and high triglykerides.

Our bodies produce and use a certain amount of lipids every day, but sometimes that system gets out of whack, either because of a genetic predisposition or because of a high fat diet and a sedentary lifestyle. The excess lipids build up in the walls of our arteries and increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which can lead to carotid artery disease and stroke, coronary disease and heart attack and peripheral vascular disease and need for amputation. The risk of atherosclerosis is even higher if you smoke, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure and/or kidney failure.

Hyperlipidemia itself does not cause symptoms, other than slowly and silently generating atherosclerosis. Your doctor will usually recommend blood tests to monitor your lipids and recommend lifestyle changes and medical therapy as needed.

Regardless of the cause of elevated blood lipids, the important therapeutic goal is to reduce them. For people who have mild to moderate elevations and no other cardiovascular disease risk factors (including family history of hyperlipidemia), lifestyle changes alone may be enough to bring lipid levels down to acceptable ranges. When lipid levels remain elevated despite lifestyle changes, or the person cannot make adequate lifestyle changes, health experts recommend lipid-lowering medications.

Consulting a doctor is important, since each condition has it quirks. For people with high triglycerides, for example, alcohol can be particularly dangerous. But for those with high cholesterol, a daily glass of wine or other alcohol, along with healthy eating and exercise, may actually help.

 

Cholesterol is a waxy substance critical to the normal function of all cells. The body needs cholesterol for making hormones, digesting dietary fats, building cell walls, and other important processes...Read more

 

Cholesterol Numbers that Matter

Many people do not know their cholesterol is too high because there are usually no symptoms. Keeping your cholesterol levels healthy is a great way to keep your heart, your brain and your legs healthy...Read more

 

Controlling High Cholesterol

Making healthy eating choices and increasing exercise are important first steps in improving your cholesterol. For some people, particularly for those that high cholesterol runs in their family, cholesterol-lowering medication...Read more

 

When diet and exercise alone are not enough to reduce cholesterol to goal levels, doctors often prescribe anti-cholesterol medications (statins). Statins taken orally, usually once a day, are extremely effective in lowering LDL...Read more

 

Triglycerides

Triglyceride is the most common type of lipid in the body and it is stored in fat tissue. Only a small portion of your triglycerides is found in the bloodstream. Triglykerides are not cholesterol...Read more

Swollen Legs

Venous Insufficiency, Lymphedema, Fluid Retention or What Else?

Leg swelling generally occurs because of an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the lower extremity. The medical term for leg swelling from excessive fluid in the tissues is peripheral edema. Symptoms that can be associated with leg swelling include leg pain, numbness, redness, itching, rash, shortness of breath, thickening and ulceration of the skin.

Common causes of leg swelling include:

Venous insufficiency / Varicose Veins

Venous insufficiency is the inability or difficulty of the leg veins to return blood back to the heart. As the blood pools in the leg it leads to heaviness and swelling at the end of the day...Read more

 

Pregnancy

Swollen legs are a common problem during pregnancy. For many women, their legs become more and more swollen as the pregnancy advances...Read more

 

Leg infection

Leg infection usually referred as cellulitis can be a usual cause of swelling and it has distinct characteristics. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin and the tissues beneath...Read more

 

Heart failure

Congestive heart failure is a chronic progressive condition that affects the pumping power of your heart muscles. While often referred to simply as “heart failure,” congestive heart failure...Read more

 

Salt / Water retention 

The body's balance of salt is usually well-regulated. Most people can consume salt in the diet without concern for developing salt depletion or retention...Read more

 

 

 Drug side effects

Many medicines can cause edema, including...Read more

 

 

 Blood clots (Venous Thrombosis)

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition wherein a blood clot develops in one of our "deep" veins, blocking the venous blood flow. Symptoms can range between a simple leg swelling to a fatal pulmonary embolism...Read more

Lymphedema

Lymphedema refers to swelling that generally occurs in one or both of your or legs. Lymphedema is related to a disorder (usually acquired, rarely congenital) of your lymphatic system (lymphatic vessels and lymphnodes)...Read more

 

Kidney disease

When you have kidney disease, fluid and sodium may not be removed appropriately thus retained in your body. The edema associated with kidney disease usually occurs in your legs and around your eyes...Read more

 

Liver disease

Severe liver disease (such as cirrhosis) causes retain fluid retention. Cirrhosis slows the normal flow of blood through the liver, thus increasing pressure in the veins that bring blood from the intestines and spleen to the liver...Read more

 

Thyroid disease

Thyroid disorders, mainly hypothyroidism (e.g. Hashimoto’s) but hyperthyroidism (e.g. Graves disease) too, can cause face and leg swelling.  It’s often felt as leg pain along with swelling, itching...Read more

 

Trauma

An ankle sprain is a usual cause of lower leg swelling. It is a painful injury to the ankle ligaments and normally happens when the ankle is turned or twisted. Swelling, tenderness, and bruising are common symptoms...Read more

 

Idiopathic (unknown)

Idiopathic edema or idiopathic lymphedema is a common cause of fluid retention and swelling most usual in women under the age of 50. "Idiopathic" means that the cause of this condition is unknown...Read more

 

Varicose Veins: Laser Treatment

Endovenous ablation with either laser or radiofrequency, has largely replaced the traditional surgery (vein "stripping") in the management of venous insufficiency. It is usually used for the great or small saphenous veins, or any other superficial vein that may be insufficient. Both laser and radiofrequency ablation are essentially similar procedures with similar outcomes and risks.

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