This Mother's Day, I offer a gift to all the moms who want to be there for their children, and want their children to live long, healthy, lives free of heart disease and the heartache and loss it can cause.
This Mother's Day I am asking everyone I know – Do you have a family history of early cardiovascular disease?
I will explain that this could come in the form of early heart attacks, stents and bypass surgeries, or even sudden death. If they do, I will push them to consider getting tested for Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH).
FH is a common genetic disorder whereby severely elevated LDL cholesterol from birth leads to premature development of atherosclerosis and, consequently, early cardiovascular disease. It is as common as Type 1 Diabetes, but most have never heard of it. It is diagnosed by a simple blood test and a family history, and when treated early you can prevent heart disease. Most importantly, because FH is passed down from parent to child, if you diagnose a mother (or a father) with FH, you can then screen and diagnose the children who have inherited the FH gene.
