What are the consequences of a lipometabolic disorder?

The consequences of a lipometabolic disorder are the accumulation of fats in the vessel wall and the slow closure of the vessel wall.This is called atherosclerotic change or atherosclerosis. The vessels lose their elasticity and may even tear. If the arterial vessels become blocked, the tissue behind them is no longer sufficiently supplied with blood, oxygen and nutrients.

It can occur in a wide variety of vessels, for example in the coronary arteries. They supply the heart. Undersupply leads to typical chest pain, which can radiate into the arm and sit belt-shaped over the chest.

In the worst case, this coronary heart disease or angina pectoris can develop into a heart attack. Vessels in the lower extremities can also become blocked, causing severe pain when walking short distances, which causes the patient to pause. This is known as window dressing disease, also called peripheral arterial occlusive disease. If feeder vessels of the brain are affected, strokes can occur.

What role does the liver play in a lipid metabolism disorder?

The liver plays a crucial role in the metabolism of blood lipids, which explains a disorder in liver diseases. It breaks down fats ingested with food and is responsible for the synthesis of blood lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol. Cholesterol is a precursor of numerous hormones and bile acids. The liver also forms lipoproteins, molecules that transport fats to the rest of the body’s cells and supply them with energy. A disturbed liver function therefore leads to serious disorders in this sensitive system.

Duration of a lipometabolic disorder

Because fat metabolism disorders remain undetected for years, it is difficult to say when late effects may occur. The longer you live with an untreated lipid metabolism disorder, the higher the risk of developing late effects. Other risk factors can accelerate the process. These include overweight, diabetes mellitus and smoking. If the patient is treated with statins, it should be noted that it can take about 4 weeks before a stable improvement in the values is achieved.