High cholesterol is formally referred to as hyperlipidemia. Plaque buildup in the arteries brought on by high cholesterol reduces blood flow and oxygen delivery to the body. Chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and poor circulation can all be caused by plaque buildup and atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, known as “bad” cholesterol, is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. When additional risk factors (age, family history, smoking, and other diseases) are taken into account, the LDL cholesterol level falls below the threshold of 190 mg/dL, which is considered high cholesterol.

The cornerstones of managing hyperlipidemia are dietary changes, exercise, weight management, and quitting smoking. Lowering LDL levels can lower the risk of cardiovascular events, thanks to a class of medications known as statins.

You might find the nursing care options for hyperlipidemia described in this article to be useful.

What is Hyperlipidemia?

Hyperlipidemia, also known as dyslipidemia or high cholesterol, means you have too many lipids (fats) in your blood. To aid in digestion and the synthesis of hormones, your liver produces cholesterol. However, foods from the meat and dairy sections also contain cholesterol. The cholesterol in the food you eat is extra because your liver can produce all the cholesterol you require.

A high level of cholesterol (200 mg/dL to 239 mg/dL is borderline high, and 240 mg/dL is high) is unhealthy because it can clog the arteries that carry blood to different parts of your body. This damages your organs that don’t receive enough blood from your arteries.

Because it results in the buildup of plaque (hardened cholesterol deposits) inside of your blood vessels, bad cholesterol (LDL) is the most hazardous type. This makes it more difficult for your blood to pass through, which increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. A clot may develop around a plaque that has become irritated or inflamed. Depending on where the blockage is, this can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

How Does Hyperlipidemia Damage Your Health?

Atherosclerosis can develop inside your body’s blood vessels if hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) is left untreated. This can bring on hyperlipidemia complications that include:

• Heart attack.
• The disease of the peripheral arteries.
• Microvascular disease
• Stroke.
• Cardiovascular disease.
• Carotid artery disease.
• Sudden cardiac arrest

Nursing Care Plan for Hyperlipidemia

Here are a few nursing care options for hyperlipidemia.

Ineffective Adherence Care Plan

Implement Motivational Interviewing

The nurse provides education and can assist the patient in making positive changes through motivational interviewing. The nurse can locate the patient in the cycle of changing their health by using the Stages of Change Model.

Instructional Medication Strategy

The nurse can suggest tactics to improve medication adherence. This can be delivery of their medications from the pharmacy to their home, setting timers as a reminder, keeping medications in a pillbox to be filled by a competent family member, and keeping medications visible such as on the nightstand to take before bed. (The majority of the time, statins are prescribed for use at night.)

Establish Manageable Goals

It can be challenging to alter one’s way of life. The process of giving up smoking, losing weight, and altering eating patterns takes time. Assist the patient in setting graduated objectives, such as quitting smoking one cigarette per day.

Help the Patient Understand the Consequences

Consequences for disobeying rules can be used to emphasize how important they are. Providing education on how high cholesterol leads to serious conditions such as heart attacks and strokes may aid in making better choices.

Ineffective Tissue Perfusion Care Plan

Know Your Numbers

A patient’s cholesterol levels should be explained to them. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) should be below 130 mg/dL, adults should have total cholesterol between 100 and 199 mg/dL, HDL should be above 45 mg/dL, and triglycerides should be under 150 mg/dL.

Obtain Echo, Ultrasound, Or Angiography

An echocardiogram reveals the heart’s valves and the efficiency of its pumping. By visualizing the arteries, ultrasounds can detect hardening or narrowing. Angiography can locate and measure blockages in the arteries. These tests can identify atherosclerosis and aid in the formulation of a treatment strategy to avert heart attacks and strokes.

Educate on Dietary Changes

Reduced consumption of trans and saturated fats are necessary for a heart-healthy diet. Reduce your intake of fried, dairy, and red meats. Increase your intake of fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Educate on Statin Medication

Patients who cannot reduce their cholesterol levels through lifestyle changes require statin medication. The reduction of smoking, exercise, and diet should all still be promoted.

Sedentary Lifestyle Care Plan

Review HDL Periodically

The patient can visualize improvement and keep up the exercise if their HDL and total cholesterol levels are improving.

Educate Why Exercise is Important

The patient should first receive education from the nurse regarding how exercise affects cholesterol. Patients often know that a poor diet is a cause of high cholesterol but may not know that a sedentary lifestyle is also a contributor.

Plan Ahead

Roadblocks that can disrupt a patient’s entire exercise program include a few missed workouts, bad weather, an illness, and holidays. Prepare for these obstacles by providing workarounds like exercising at home with a video if the gym is closed, exercising with family to increase adherence, or even just stretching when you’re feeling under the weather. Any movement is better than no movement.

Start Slow

Explain to the patient that 150 minutes of exercise each week is ideal. For someone who doesn’t exercise, that might seem impossible. Don’t overwhelm them with lofty objectives. Beginning with a weekly increase from a 5-minute walk, start out slow.

How to Prevent Hyperlipidemia?

You can prevent developing hyperlipidemia by making lifestyle changes. Things you can do include:

• Stop smoking.
• Don’t buy snacks that have “trans fat” on the label.
• Avoid sitting too much and keep moving.
• maintain a healthy weight.
• Attempt to reduce your stress.
• Eat healthy foods.
• Get the right amount of sleep.
• Reduce your consumption of fatty meats.

Summary

You are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke if you have hyperlipidemia, which is high cholesterol that can lead to plaque building up in your blood vessels. The good news is that you can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. You can lower your cholesterol levels by increasing your physical activity and eating healthier. Taking the medications your provider has ordered will also make a difference. You will experience change if you adhere to the above-described nursing care plan.