There are often young people coming to the clinic to see hyperlipidemia. Many of them are found to have high lipid levels during physical examinations, but they usually have no symptoms and look very anxious, “I have hyperlipidemia at such a young age? Is it too early to take medication? Is there any way to lower blood lipids without medication? I don’t like to exercise much, how can I lower my blood lipids?”
Domestic and international guidelines for lipid treatment recommend that “therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC)” is needed before drug treatment, emphasizing the importance of diet and lifestyle to lipid treatment. Once a high lipid level is detected in a physical examination, they go to the hospital and prescribe lipid-lowering drugs, which is unscientific and harmful. If you are not a sportsman or a lazy person, how can you lower your blood lipids?
First, to understand the basal lipids, and correctly determine the true level of lipids
The main items of clinical lipid testing are: cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Of these, triglyceride levels are more influenced by diet and other factors. To measure lipids more accurately (refer to the Chinese guidelines for the prevention and treatment of adult dyslipidemia)
1.Maintain a general diet and weight stability for at least 2 weeks prior to lipid analysis, and do not overeat or socialize outside.
2.No strenuous physical activity should be performed within 24h before the measurement.
3.Fast from 8 o’clock in the evening of the day before blood collection, and take venous blood from 8 to 10 o’clock in the morning of the next day.
4.If the blood lipid is abnormal, take another or more measurements within 2 months, at least 1 week apart.
II. Types of hyperlipidemia
Both elevated cholesterol and/or triglycerides are called hyperlipidemia or hyperlipidemia (many patients in outpatient clinics refer to high triglycerides as hyperlipidemia and high cholesterol is not considered hyperlipidemia, which is a wrong concept). Clinically, we classify different types of elevated lipids as: hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, mixed hyperlipidemia (elevated cholesterol and triglycerides), and hypoHDLemia. By understanding the typing of hyperlipidemia, you can clearly tell your doctor which type of hyperlipidemia you have the next time you go to the clinic.
III. Developing a lipid-lowering program
Therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) is the most basic and primary measure to control dyslipidemia. For patients with first-onset hyperlipidemia and young people with hyperlipidemia a good TLC can have a similar therapeutic effect as lipid-lowering drugs (especially for patients with hypertriglyceridemia).
The main components of TLC are.
1, reduce the intake of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, the most direct effect, the most obvious effect, but also the most easy to do.
2, choose foods that can lower LDL-C (such as phytosterols, soluble fiber).
3.Reduce body weight.
4.Increase regular physical activity.
5.Take measures against other cardiovascular disease risk factors such as smoking cessation, salt restriction to lower blood pressure, etc.
TLC is summarized in a few words that should be remembered: less socializing, more walking, less frying pan, more steaming, less meat and vegetables, more fruits and vegetables, quit smoking and lower blood pressure to reduce weight.
TLC treatment is a course of 6 to 8 weeks. Patients’ lipid levels are monitored and the effect of TLC is evaluated according to whether there is significant improvement. It is generally necessary to observe 2 courses of TLC before deciding whether to continue TLC or start medication next. Once drug therapy is started, it is usually necessary to take the medication for a long time, and it should not be stopped after the lipid level is lowered, but should be maintained for a long time by adjusting the drug dose under the guidance of the doctor.