This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Go to /pro/cpd-dashboard page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. CPD dashboard

Go to /account/subscription-details page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. Upgrade to Pro

Polygenic hypercholesterolaemia

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

This is the most common primary hyperlipidaemia. Polygenic hypercholesterolaemia is, like height, the consequence of several genes together with acquired, largely nutritional factors.

Polygenic hypercholesterolaemia causes a similar pattern of hypercholesterolaemia to that seen in familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) (but milder than FH with cholesterol levels >6.5 mmol/L. It is characterised by increased levels of LDL-cholesterol (> 4.0 mmol/L). Triglyceride levels are < 2.3 mmol/L.

There is an increased risk of coronary heart disease but xanthomata do not develop.

Note in familial hypercholesterolaemia characteristically total cholesterol is > 7.5mmol/L, LDL-cholesterol is > 5.0 mmol/L and triglyceride is < 2.3 mmol/L.


Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.