DYSLIPIDEMIA Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DYSLIPIDEMIA - Assignment Example Dyslipidemia is an important component of the cluster of abnormalities in metabolic syndrome, basically implying an imbalance of lipids in circulation in the blood stream (Ruotolo & Howard, 2002). Dyslipidemia is characterized by increased triglycerides, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDLc, postprandial accumulation of lipoproteins rich in triglyceride and small, low density lipoproteins, LDL. It involves reesterification, this being the process of circulating free fatty acids getting oxidized and then synthesized back into triglyceride. Being a component of a syndrome related to many risk factors, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia presents a complex pathology. Even so, Foster and Prevost (2012) cite oxidative stress as a key hypothesis regarding the pathology of dyslipidemia. Oxidative stress, referring to the surplus of reactive oxygen species, ROS to antioxidant, fosters insulin resistance. This could occur because of excessive production of ROS which would overwhelm the capacity of ROS antioxidant or decrease production of antioxidants to inactivate ROS. Obesity has also been cited as a metabolic predisposition which eventually leads to dyslipidemia. Genetics also affects metabolic predisposition to resistance to insulin and dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemic conditions require laboratory testing to establish the specific abnormal blood lipid content or the lipoprotein content. As such, laboratory testing would involve measuring a blood sample for blood lipid profile and should be done every 5 years from as early as age 20. The levels of LDLc could be determined directly or using the Friedwald formula given by: This formula would however not be applied in cases where the triglyceride level of an individual exceeds 400 mg/dl. Notably, the basic lipid profile totaling triglyceride, HDLc and LDLc could fail to provide a clinician with adequate information to effectively diagnose dyslipidemia. In such cases, more sophisticated procedures