Secondary dyslipidaemia

Common secondary causes of dyslipidaemia include:

• hypothyroidism
• nephrotic syndrome
• cholestasis
• type 2 diabetes (particularly if suboptimally managed)
• obesity
• excessive alcohol consumption
• chronic kidney disease
• some drugs (thiazide diuretics, beta blockers, oral estrogens, some antipsychotic drugs, antiretroviral drug regimens for human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]).

Smoking may also lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations.

Secondary causes of dyslipidaemia must be sought and, if possible, treated.

The treatment targets for primary dyslipidaemia usually apply to the management of residual lipid disturbances following treatment of the secondary cause of dyslipidaemia. However, hypercholesterolaemia due to cholestasis may be nonatherogenic and may not warrant lipid-modifying therapy.