Traits and Genetic Disorders That Babies Get From Mom

High Cholesterol

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. While we can blame poor nutrition and low exercise, a genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), plays a role too. One out of 400 people in the general population has FH, though only about twenty percent have been diagnosed. FH causes the body to produce more cholesterol than it needs (and we do need some to make cell membranes, produce hormones, and so on). That extra cholesterol can block coronary arteries, and may eventually result in a heart attack or stroke.If your parent has the gene, you have a fifty percent of having it as well. In people with FH, diet alone isn't enough to keep cholesterol levels healthy. Medication can remedy the risk with good results. Laboratory blood work can tell you if your cholesterol levels are too high, followed by a lipid panel and other tests to rule out diseases like diabetes or thyroid disorder. But a definite diagnosis of FH requires a gene analysis.