How to Get Your familial hypercholesterolemia test 2023

Getting a familial hypercholesterolemia test is the first step in managing your cholesterol. There are several options for getting this test, so be sure to choose the one that’s best for you.

Are you one of the millions of people who have familial hypercholesterolemia? If so, you’re in luck – there’s help available. Here’s what you need to know about getting your familial hypercholesterolemia test.

• What is the familial hypercholesterolemia test?
• What Are the Odds of FH in My Family?
• Who Should Get familial hypercholesterolemia Test?
• How Can Members of My Family Obtain familial hypercholesterolemia Test?
• Lifestyle and home remedies
• summary
• Frequently asked questions
• References

What is the familial hypercholesterolemia test?

familial hypercholesterolemia test is a genetic disorder that results in high cholesterol levels. The cause is unknown, but it tends to run in families. If you have this condition, your risk of developing cardiovascular disease is high. (1)

If you have familial hypercholesterolemia and are considering getting your cholesterol checked, now is the time. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that all adults over the age of 50 get a cholesterol test every five years. Even if you don’t have any signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease, having high cholesterol can increase your risk.

What Are the Odds of FH in My Family?

Depending on the type of genetic alteration detected in your family and how closely you are related to your family member, there is a risk that if you have FH, your family member may as well. Family members who undergo genetic testing should be examined for the same genetic change if the results of your genetic test reveal that they have a known genetic mutation. This practice of testing family members is repeated for each new person diagnosed with FH. (2)

Who Should Get familial hypercholesterolemia Test?

Heart attacks and death can be avoided by detecting FH early. For family members of all ages, genetic testing is advised because persons with FH have high LDL cholesterol from birth. The method of diagnosis that is most favored is genetic testing. Blood tests to assess LDL cholesterol levels are an additional alternative. It is still possible to accomplish this even if the genetic origin of FH is not known. (3)

The family members who are most closely connected to the individual with FH, such as their mother, father, siblings, and children, should often be tested first. Moving to more distant family members is also appropriate if a family member is not available for testing (for instance, if a family member has passed away or does not want to be tested).

How Can Members of My Family Obtain familial hypercholesterolemia Test?

The genetic counselor or medical professional who made your diagnosis may be able to assist in arranging genetic testing and counseling for your relatives. Any genetic counselor or medical professional who requests testing for your family should receive a copy of the results of your genetic test.

They might need a copy of your result to verify the date of your test if discounted or free cascade testing for family members is only available for a limited period of time following the first genetic test report. If a known genetic change is discovered, some insurance companies will pay for genetic testing for families. Further information on the coverage under your particular insurance might be obtained from a genetic counselor or medical professional.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Healthy practices can also lessen your risk of heart disease, and some may even help lower your cholesterol: (4, 5, 6, 7)

• Take an additional weight off. Lowering cholesterol can be aided by weight loss.
• Consume heart-healthy foods. Put an emphasis on plant-based foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Limit trans and saturated fats.
• Regularly moving around. Work up to at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five times a week with your doctor’s approval.
• Avoid smoking. Find a way to stop smoking, if you smoke.

summary

• If you have familial hypercholesterolemia, you may be at risk for cardiovascular disease.
• There are many different ways to get a familial hypercholesterolemia test.
• The type of test you take depends on whether you have symptoms or not.

Frequently asked questions

References

1. Huijgen, R., Hutten, B. A., Kindt, I., Vissers, M. N., & Kastelein, J. J. (2012). The discriminative ability of LDL-cholesterol to identify patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: a cross-sectional study in 26 406 individuals tested for genetic FH. Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics, 5(3), 354-359.

2. Williams, R. R., Hunt, S. C., Schumacher, M. C., Hegele, R. A., Leppert, M. F., Ludwig, E. H., & Hopkins, P. N. (1993). Diagnosing heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia using new practical criteria validated by molecular genetics. The American journal of cardiology, 72(2), 171-176.

3. Fahed, A. C., & Nemer, G. M. (2011). Familial hypercholesterolemia: the lipids or the genes? Nutrition & Metabolism, 8(1), 1-12.

4. Marks, D., Thorogood, M., Neil, H. A. W., & Humphries, S. E. (2003). A review of the diagnosis, natural history, and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia. Atherosclerosis, 168(1), 1-14.

5. Sanadheera, S., Subasinghe, D., Solangaarachchi, M. N., Suraweera, M., Suraweera, N. Y., & Tharangika, N. (2021). Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.(red Hibiscus) Tea, Can It Be Used as A Home-Remedy to Control Diabetes and Hypercholesterolemia?. Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry, 10(1), 59-65.

6. Santhosh, C., & Amritha, M. S. (2020). HOME REMEDIES-A SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS.

7. Sourav, D. S., Jannat, K., & Rahmatullah, M. (2018). Some phyto-home remedies are used in Kaoraid village of Gazipur district, Bangladesh. Journal of Medicinal Plants, 6(6), 250-253.