SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

ABCA1, ABCG5, ABCG8, APOA5, APOB, APOE, LDLR, LDLRAP1, LIPA, LPL, PCSK9

Category:

Scientific Background

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited condition that is caused by mutations in one or more genes and results in high levels of cholesterol in the blood, even from a young age. FH has a prevalence of approximately 1 in 250 people worldwide, making it one of the most common life-threatening hereditary conditions, yet it is greatly underdiagnosed. Undiagnosed FH significantly increases the risk of atherosclerosis, which might lead to vascular conditions, such as coronary artery disease, heart attack or stroke.

Unlike common high blood cholesterol, FH has no cure and cannot be treated only through a healthier diet and lifestyle. The key to a longer and healthier life of people affected with FH is early identification of the disease so that prompt and intensive treatment through medication can begin and prevent any associated cardiovascular complications.

 

Who is this test for?

Family members of a person affected by FH.

 

References

 

How many genes are tested in this panel?

11 genes

GENES

ABCA1, ABCG5, ABCG8, APOA5, APOB, APOE, LDLR, LDLRAP1, LIPA, LPL, PCSK9
How to order

LATEST ARTICLES

In May 2024, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) published new guidelines for germline genetic testing in patients with cancer (1). ...

Read more

Genetics as we know and understand it today has been shaped, over decades, by the work of many dedicated scientists around the world, and they all de...

Read more

A comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic atlas of 1.3 million cells from aged human brains reveals cellular pathways linked to Alzheimer’s diseas...

Read more

Infertility is a struggle for many individuals nowadays. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 6 people experience infertility, show...

Read more

A recent study highlights promising outcomes for BRCA variant carriers with breast cancer undergoing breast-conserving therapy. Analyzing 172 women, ...

Read more

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), sometimes called butterfly skin, is a group of rare skin diseases with a common symptom: fragile skin that tears and blis...

Read more

In the rapidly evolving field of human genetics diagnostics, laboratories face the challenge of keeping up with the latest advancements in technology...

Read more

Medicine as we know it has been around for just over 100 years. Before this, alcohol and opium were the main forms of pain relief in Europe. The deve...

Read more

Below you can read the two winning essays from the second annual DNA essay competition. The subject of the essay was “Family history is one of the ...

Read more

Mosaicism is the presence of two or more genetically different sets of cells within the same person. It is a biological phenomenon that may have no e...

Read more