The goal of treatment is to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease.

The first step is to change what you eat. This is tried for several months before drug therapy is added. Diet changes include reducing total fat intake to less than 30% of the total calories consumed. Saturated fat intake is reduced by decreasing the amounts of beef, chicken, pork, and lamb; by substituting low-fat dairy products for full-fat ones; and by eliminating coconut and palm oils. Cholesterol intake is reduced by eliminating egg yolks and organ meats.

Further reductions in dietary fat may be recommended after the initial trial period. Dietary counseling is often recommended to help people make these adjustments to their eating habits. Weight loss and regular exercise may also aid in lowering cholesterol levels.

Your doctor may recommend medicine if diet, exercise, and weight loss efforts have not lowered your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol-lowering medicines include:

• Bile acid-sequestering resins
• Fibrates (such as gemfibrozil)
• Nicotinic acid
• Statins

How well a person does depends on how early the condition is diagnosed, when treatment is received, and whether treatment is followed. Without treatment, heart attack or stroke may cause early death.

Some people may have such high lipid levels that an increased risk of heart attack remains despite medical therapy.

• Early atherosclerotic heart disease
• Heart attack
• Stroke

Call your health care provider if you have warning symptoms of heart attack or your screening total cholesterol or triglycerides are high.