Treatment of hyperlipidemia The lipid panel includes the following: total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG). LDL cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol and if it is too high, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases, while HDL cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol and if it is too low, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. Hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia refers to any of high total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol. Hyperlipidemia is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis. Hyperlipidemia is an important cause of coronary heart disease (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, sudden death), cerebral infarction, and peripheral vascular thromboembolic disease. Normal human blood vessel walls are very smooth, when blood lipids are too high, fat adsorbs on the vessel walls to form lipid streaks, and further deposition can develop into fibrous plaques that occupy the vessel lumen, causing narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels and reduced blood flow supply to the heart and brain, which in turn leads to angina, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction. In healthy arteries, the endothelium is smooth, the lumen is not narrowed, and the blood flow is smooth; when the blood contains too much cholesterol, they begin to accumulate in the inner wall of the blood vessels; initially, lipid deposits appear in the inner wall of the blood vessels, causing the blood vessels to swell outward, at this time, the “silent killer” of high blood lipids has quietly hidden the atherosclerotic lesions in the human body. The fatty deposits keep increasing and gradually form atherosclerotic plaques, most of which are composed of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The sclerotic plaque gradually protrudes from the inner surface of the blood vessels, making the lumen narrow and blood flow poor. If it occurs in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, angina will occur due to myocardial ischemia. If the plaque ruptures and bleeds, causing thrombosis, it can further narrow the lumen or even completely block the vessel. If the blockage occurs in the coronary artery, it is a myocardial infarction. Atherosclerosis can cause a number of serious hazards. In the heart, it can cause angina pectoris and ischemic heart disease, and in the brain, it can cause cerebral blood supply deficiency and transient ischemic attack. Moreover, the narrowed area is prone to thrombosis, which causes complete blockage of blood vessels, resulting in acute myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, renal infarction, intermittent claudication due to arterial thrombosis of the lower limbs, and even necrosis of the lower limbs, necessitating amputation. These diseases, including their sequelae (for example, cerebral infarction is prone to hemiplegia and brain dysfunction (mental and intellectual impairment)), not only cause great losses and heavy burden to the country and society, but also bring great misfortune and pain to patients and their families. Epidemiological data show that for every 1% reduction in cholesterol (TC), the risk of coronary heart disease is reduced by 2%. However, the current status of hyperlipidemia control in China is very unsatisfactory. The reasons for this may be related to the following three aspects: 1. Patients with hyperlipidemia do not cooperate with treatment because they have no symptoms themselves, or they lack knowledge of the disease, or their treatment is incomplete, etc.; 2. The choice of drugs is unreasonable; 3. The target lipid level is not reached. Our national recommendations for prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia are: 1. If the patient does not have atherosclerosis and no risk factors for heart, brain and vascular diseases, total cholesterol should be controlled below 5.72mmol/l and LDL cholesterol should be below 3.64mmol/l. 2. If the patient does not have atherosclerosis but has risk factors for coronary heart disease, total cholesterol should be below 5.20mmol/l and LDL cholesterol should be below l and LDL cholesterol should be less than 3.12mmol/l. 3. If the patient has atherosclerosis, total cholesterol should be controlled at 4.68mmol/l and LDL cholesterol should be less than 2.59mmol/l. 4. Patients with cardiovascular disease combined with diabetes mellitus and acute coronary syndrome, LDL cholesterol should be less than 2.07mmol/l … The following groups of people should undergo regular lipid examination: (1) patients with coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral atherosclerosis; (2) people with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and smokers; (3) people with a family history of coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis, especially those with early onset or early death in the immediate family; (4) people with yellow tumors or yellow warts; (5) people with familial hyperlipidemia. Men over 40 years of age and menopausal women should be screened for lipids. The treatment of hyperlipidemia includes two aspects: lifestyle improvement and drug therapy. In 1992, the World Health Organization issued the famous “Victoria Declaration”: the basic elements of human life and health are: reasonable diet, moderate exercise, smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, and psychological balance. Medication should be chosen under the guidance of a doctor, with effective drugs and appropriate doses, to regulate all lipid parameters and achieve the target therapeutic level. The drugs chosen should ensure good safety and those that have been proven in large-scale clinical studies to reduce the complications of cardiovascular disease. Patients should follow medical advice and adhere to long-term treatment. Lipids and blood pressure, like blood glucose, should be controlled within the desired range with long-term medications. Finally, I hope you will learn more, understand more about health science, increase your understanding of diseases, maintain confidence and perseverance, improve your lifestyle, and adopt active and regular treatment measures to live a longer, healthier and happier life.