A lipid disorder refers to a condition where the level of “harmful” LDL cholesterol in blood is over 3 mmol/l or the blood fat (triglyceride) level is over 1,7 mmol/l or the level of “good” HDL cholesterol is low: below 1,0 mmol/l in men and below 1,2 mmol/l in women.
The distribution of lipid bodies in blood changes as a combined result of genetics, lifestyle, age and illnesses. In the case of a person with diabetes, lipid disorders may be related to diabetes itself, or it may be caused by the same factors as in other people: lipid disorders can be the result of an unhealthy diet, a high intake of saturated fats, a metabolic syndrome and the reduced effect of insulin, heavy alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, some pharmaceutical products as well as hereditary lipid disorders. An underactive thyroid gland can also increase cholesterol, so the functioning of the thyroid gland should be checked with a blood test.
Especially a high concentration of apolipoprotein B (apoB) atherogenic lipoprotein particles, including low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, has a direct correlation with the build-up of cholesterol on the intima of arteries, which can lead to coronary artery diseases as a result of an inflammatory reaction.