Hyperlipidemia

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Sections available in full article Introduction, Presenting signs, Geographic incidence, Age predisposition, Breed predisposition, Cost considerations, Pathogenesis, Etiology, Pathophysiology, Timecourse (incubation, duration), Diagnosis, Presenting problems, Client history, Clinical signs, Diagnostic investigation, Confirmation of diagnosis, Histopathology findings, Differential diagnosis, Treatment, Initial symptomatic treatment, Standard treatment, Monitoring, Sequelae, Prognosis, Expected response to treatment, Reasons for treatment failure, Sources, Publications, Vetstream contributor(s),
Contributors Dr Kyle Braund BVSc MVSc PhD FRCVS DipACVIM
Synonyms Hypercholesterolemia Hypertriglyceridemia Hyperlipoproteinemia

Introduction

  • A raised blood concentration of lipid in the fasted (>12 hours) patient exceeding the upper range of normal.
  • Cause : primary idiopathic, or secondary to another disease process.
  • Signs : may be asymptomatic; seizures, abdominal pain, distress, ocular involvement; secondary hyperlipidemia - signs of primary causative disease process.
  • Diagnosis : biochemistry - serum triglyceride, lipid and cholesterol concentrations; lipoprotein electrophoresis.
  • Treatment : reduce dietary fat and/or treatment of primary disease process.
  • Prognosis : dependent upon response to treatment of primary disease process.

Diagnosis

Clinical signs

  • Abdominal pain, vomiting/diarrhea - acute pancreatitis  Pancreatitis  .
  • Lipemia retinalis .
  • Lipemic aqueous.
  • Neuropathies.

Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis

  • Post-prandial hyperlipidemia.
Secondary hyperlipidemia
  • Diabetes mellitus  Diabetes mellitus  .
  • Hypothyroidism  Hypothyroidism  .
  • Hyperadrenocorticism  Hyperadrenocorticism  .
  • Nephrotic syndrome  Nephrotic syndrome  .
Primary hyperlipidemia
  • Idiopathic hyperchylomicronemia (Himalayan).

Ocular hyperlipidemia

  • Same as presenting problem -Cloudy eye.
  • Same as presenting problem - Blindness.

Sequelae

Prognosis

  • Acute fatal pancreatitis  Pancreatitis  may occur secondary to hyperlipidemia.
  • Secondary hyperlipidemia - prognosis depends on response to treatment of primary disease.

Expected response to treatment

  • Peripheral neuropathies usually resolve 2-3 months after institution of low fat diet + successful treatment of other primary disease.

Reasons for treatment failure

  • Incorrect diagnosis.
  • Owner non-compliance in treating animal.

Sources

Publications

Refereed papers

  • Bauer J E (1997)New concepts of polyunsaturated fatty acids in dogs and cats.Vet Clin Nutrition4(1), 29-33.
  • Whitney M S (1992)Evaluation of hyperlipidemias in dogs and cats.Semin Vet Med Surg Small Anim7(4), 292-300.

Other sources of information

  • Bauer J E (2000)Hyperlipidemias.In:Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine.5th edn. Ettinger S J & Feldman E C (eds). W B Saunders, Philadelphia. pp 283-292.

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