Dyslipidemia / hyperlipidemia, high cholesterol; means a high fat level in the blood. In other words, it is the condition where various fats in the blood are above the normal levels. Total cholesterol values of 200-239 mg/dl in healthy individuals without any disease, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol values of 130-160 mg/dl are defined as borderline high levels for hyperlipidemia. High cholesterol is usually a silent disease that shows no symptoms.
An aortic aneurysm occurs when there is a localized enlargement in the artery called the aorta, which comes out of the left heart, resulting in a balloon-like expansion in the vessel. The aorta is the largest artery in the body. When this artery ruptures, internal bleeding occurs and the circulatory system empties. Blood pressure drops rapidly, and it does not respond easily to treatment. Half of the patients with a ruptured aortic aneurysm (i.e., torn or cracked) die before reaching the hospital. The most important risk factors for aortic aneurysm are advanced age, atherosclerosis (arterial calcification / arterial stiffness), hypertension, high blood fat levels (dyslipidemia / hyperlipidemia, high cholesterol), chronic smoking, congenital bicuspid aortic valve anomaly, inflammatory vascular diseases (Behçet’s disease, vasculitis). Among these risk factors, high blood fat levels are very significant for society. High blood fat levels, if not controlled, start to coat the endothelial layer of the vessel and over time, fat accumulations occur. These fat deposits disrupt the integrity of the inner vessel surface, impede blood flow, and create turbulent flow. This leads to inflammation of the vessel wall, weakening it and preparing the ground for ballooning. It is generally known that “high blood fat levels cause vessel blockage,” but at the same time, “high blood fat levels also cause aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection.” In other words, dyslipidemia / hyperlipidemia, high cholesterol (high blood fat levels) creates a basis for both arterial stiffness and vessel ballooning. Therefore, for vascular health, blood fat levels must be checked, and if the value is high, first the diet should be adjusted, and if it cannot be corrected by diet, medication under specialist supervision should be initiated.