HYPOALPHALIPOPROTEINEMIA

Course overview

LOW LEVELS OF HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (HDL-C) LEVELS (HYPOALPHALIPOPROTEINEMIA) ARE AMONG THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. CAUSES OF HYPOALPHALIPOPROTEINEMIA CAN BE HEREDITARY OR SECONDARY TO OTHER SOURCES. THE PRIMARY GENETIC CAUSES OF DECREASED HDL LEVELS INCLUDE TANGIER DISEASE, FAMILIAL HYPOALPHALIPOPROTEINEMIA, AND FAMILIAL LECITHIN-CHOLESTEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE (LCAT) DEFICIENCY. PATIENTS WITH HYPOALPHALIPOPROTEINEMIA WILL HAVE A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF DEVELOPING CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IF LEFT UNTREATED. IN ADDITION, PATIENTS MAY ALSO DEVELOP STROKE OR MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION. THEREFORE, DIAGNOSING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH HYPOALPHALIPOPROTEINEMIA IS CRUCIAL AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID HARMFUL SEQUELAE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF LOW HDL LEVELS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.