Dr. Reynolds
Preventing dyslipidemia can be difficult because it usually has no symptoms. However, Dr. Patel will explain what you can do to detect unhealthy lipid levels.

Dr. Patel
Though it is true that dyslipidemia usually has no symptoms, your healthcare provider can detect dyslipidemia by doing a blood test called a lipid profile. This test measures the amount of cholesterol, triglycerides, and other fats in your blood. Generally, a lipid profile is conducted after fasting overnight, though you can still be tested without having to fast.

Many things can affect your lipid levels. They include:

  • Age, gender, and family history of heart disease
  • Lifestyle factors such as what you eat, level of physical activity, alcohol use, as well as tobacco use and smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • High blood glucose levels, and
  • Some medications