Hyperlipidemia -- excessive fat content of the blood -- is most frequently caused by a diet high in fats but can also be passed down through family genes. This is an insidious disease, meaning hyperlipidemia may be not show signs or symptoms. A simple blood test is used to diagnose elevated cholesterol and triglycerides.
Atherosclerosis
Frequently confused with arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis is a disease impacting the walls of the arteries. The elevated blood fats of hyperlipidemia eventually cling and park themselves on the inside of the arteries. This attachment of fat is referred to as a plaque, which build ups and damages arterial walls. Initially, this plaque build-up will not reflect in any outward physical symptoms. However, symptoms occur if plaque breaks off and travels the arterial system.
Stroke
Cerebral vascular accidents, or strokes, occur from either hemorrhaging or clots in the brain. With hyperlipidemia, the brain arteries may harden and become more susceptible to rupture, which may cause a bleeding stroke. A clot or small piece of fat can break off from the arterial plaques and lead to a stroke or a transischemic attack, or a mini stroke. Strokes result in permanent neurological function loss, sometimes reflected in impaired ability to speak, move and function.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can result from narrowed arteries such as those that occur with hyperlipidemia. Systolic blood pressure, or the top number, measures the force of blood leaving the heart and traveling through the body's arterial system. When the arteries are narrowed from plaque build up, the pressure rises to force the blood through smaller passageways.
Coronary Artery Disease
The arteries supplying the heart with fresh oxygenated blood are the coronary arteries. Hyperlipidemia can obstruct or occlude these arteries, which can lead to angina or heart attack. A heart attack occurs when an area of the heart muscle is not properly supplied with oxygen, and the tissues start to die. The plaques from hyperlipidemia can break off and enter the heart chambers, resulting in irregular heart rhythms and valve problems
