अलर्ट रहना जरूरी: हाई कोलेस्ट्रॉल की समस्या विरासत में मिली है तो इसे पहचानना चुनौती, जीवनशैली बदलकर इसे ठीक करना मुश्किल; दवा से ही इलाज संभव

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Katherine Wileman (39) felt chest pain while gardening. She immediately rushed to the hospital. She suspected a heart attack. However, the attendant could not believe how Katherine could have problems like an elderly person at such a young age. Doctors diagnosed her with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). This is a genetic problem.

Due to this, Katherine’s arteries became like those of a 70-year-old person, there were blockages too. FH is difficult to identify, there is also less awareness about it. That is why Katherine started a mission through the Family Heart Foundation. Now she is helping people suffering from FH. Experts are telling what are the risks of FH, who needs to be alert…

If someone in the family has had a heart attack before 55 or bypass surgery before 65, then it is important to be alert

Who is at greater risk: Dr. Set Martin, director of the Advanced Lipid Disorders Program at Johns Hopkins, says, it is a problem related to the clearance of LDL (bad cholesterol). If one parent has FH, then the children have a 50% chance of getting it. If both have it, then such children are at a higher risk, they may suffer a heart attack in their 20s.

When to start testing: Dr. Keith Ferdinand, a cardiologist at Tulane University, says, ‘It is important to get a cholesterol test done once a year. If a child is suspected of having FH, the doctor can also get the test done at the age of 2 to 6 years. Dr. Martin says, ‘Statin therapy starts at the age of 8, although doctors do regular monitoring even before that.

This also applies to children from families who have a family history of heart problems. If someone in the family has had a heart attack or needed a stent before the age of 55. Or if men have had bypass surgery before the age of 65, consider it a sign that the cause is genetic. That means early testing is necessary. Generally, cholesterol testing should be started by the age of 21.

How will the treatment be done: If the problem of cholesterol is genetic, then the level may remain high despite a good lifestyle. Dr. Sanjay Rajagopalan, a cardiologist at Case Western University, says, ‘It is possible to reduce cholesterol to a great extent. Many medicines start working in a few days. FH can be controlled better than before.

Expectations from treatment: Dr. Martin is treating a large number of FH patients. He says, ‘Multi-treatment and combination of medicines are giving better results. The only challenge is to identify it. With treatment, LDL cholesterol level comes down to 20-30. This is what is needed for good heart health.’