lipid diseases

• Atherosclerosis - buildup of plaque in the blood vessels (most commonly arteries)
• Xanthomas - benign tumors with lipid deposits
• Increase in steroid or reproduction hormones will decrease amount of available cholesterol 
• liver related lipid abnormalities include hepatitis and obstruction
• Hepatitis - infection that affects the production capabilities of the liver 
• Obstructions - 

  • E.g. bile duct blockage - cholesterol made into bile salts; if there is obstruction, can affect lipid levels, as bile is unable to enter intestines
• Neimman-Pick disease - lysosomal disorder; symptoms will be related to affected tissues 
• Gaucher’s disease - most common lysosomal disorder in which lipids accumulate in white cells
• Tay-Sachs disease - accumulation of particular fat (ganglioside) in brain; fatal by the age of 4
• Tangier disease (hypoalphalipoproteinemia) - rare genetic disease; severely decreased level of HDL