Dyslipidemia is one of the main causes of dangerous cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, or atherosclerosis. Therefore, proper care for patients with dyslipidemia plays a very important role in controlling the disease and preventing complications. So what should be noted when caring for patients with dyslipidemia to bring the best results?

Diet for patients with dyslipidemia

Dyslipidemia mainly originates from long-term unbalanced eating habits, increasing bad cholesterol levels in the body. Therefore, adjusting the diet is the most important factor in caring for patients with dyslipidemia.

Some foods that patients need to limit include:

• Animal fat and skin.
• Red meat such as beef, lamb.
• Whole milk and non-fat dairy products (yogurt, cheese, butter, etc.).
• Egg yolks.
• Margarine.
• Animal organs such as liver, kidney, brain, spleen.
• Processed foods high in trans fats such as sausages, bacon, instant noodles, etc.
• Vegetable oils high in saturated fats: coconut oil, palm oil, almond oil, etc.
• Fried foods, fast foods such as fried chicken, french fries, pizza, etc.
• Cake, sweet drinks high in sugar.
• Foods high in salt or canned foods high in sodium.

In addition, patients should supplement healthy foods such as:

• Green vegetables and fruits.
• Whole grains such as rye bread, brown rice.
• Skim milk.
• Lean meat or skinless poultry.
• Fatty fish rich in omega-3 such as salmon, herring, sardines (at least 2 times per week).
• Legumes such as soybeans, peas and nuts.
• Avocados, olives.
• Unsaturated vegetable oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, etc.
• Increase your intake of garlic, as garlic helps reduce overall cholesterol levels.

Patients need to supplement foods such as green vegetables, fruits,…

Caring for patients with dyslipidemia requires encouraging exercise

Lack of exercise is one of the factors that contribute to increasing bad cholesterol in the blood and making the symptoms of dyslipidemia more severe. Therefore, when caring for patients with dyslipidemia, it is necessary to encourage exercise.

Exercise is a simple but effective method in burning excess fat, supporting weight loss, stabilizing blood pressure, blood sugar and preventing serious complications caused by dyslipidemia.

Patients should try to maintain exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. You can choose any exercise you like. However, if you have problems with the heart, diabetes, kidneys, etc., you should consult your doctor to adjust the intensity and duration of exercise accordingly. Brisk walking is an easy option that does not require equipment but is very effective in reducing fat and improving cardiovascular health.

Exercise is a simple, effective method in preventing disease complications.

Support patients to eliminate bad habits in caring for patients with dyslipidemia

Caregivers of patients with dyslipidemia should encourage and support patients to give up the following harmful habits:

• Smoking: Smoking is harmful to the blood vessels and nervous system, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
• Drinking too much alcohol: Alcohol has a negative impact on overall health. It is necessary to limit the consumption of alcohol and other stimulants.
• Lack of exercise: Increasing physical activity helps to lose weight, reduce belly fat and maintain an ideal body mass index (BMI) (19-23) with a waist circumference not exceeding 90 cm in men and 75 cm in women. For overweight and obese patients, it is necessary to lose weight scientifically through reducing food intake and exercising.
• Stressful lifestyle: Reasonable rest and maintaining a positive, optimistic mindset will greatly support the treatment process.
• Arbitrarily increasing the dose or stopping the medication: The treatment of dyslipidemia requires long-term persistence and strict adherence to the doctor’s instructions. Caregivers need to monitor the patient’s medication use to avoid forgetting or skipping doses.

Smoking damages blood vessels and nervous system

Monitor and note signs of complications

In the process of caring for patients with dyslipidemia, monitoring the patient’s health is very important to promptly detect signs of dangerous complications. For example:

• Myocardial infarction: Symptoms include chest pain or a feeling of discomfort and heaviness in the chest lasting from a few minutes to a few tens of minutes. Sometimes the pain can spread to the arms, back, neck, jaw, etc. The patient may also experience difficulty breathing, sweating, nausea, headache, fatigue, etc.
• Cerebrovascular accident (stroke): Signs include sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face, arm or leg, dizziness, difficulty speaking or understanding what others are saying, sudden severe headache of unknown cause.

When any of these unusual symptoms appear, the caregiver should take the patient to the hospital immediately.

Finally, patients should be reminded to monitor their blood lipid levels regularly, about every 6-8 weeks, and attend regular check-ups with their doctor as scheduled to detect complications early.

In the process of caring for patients with lipid disorders, it is necessary to pay attention to signs of complications.

Dyslipidemia is a common disease and requires long-term management to prevent dangerous complications. The process of caring for patients requires not only professional knowledge but also patience, dedication and understanding. Hopefully, the article has provided useful information, helping readers understand important notes in caring for patients with dyslipidemia.