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Medical Definition of Familial hypercholesteraemic xanthomatosis
1. Hyperlipoproteinaemia characterised by increased plasma levels of beta-lipoproteins, cholesterol, and phospholipids, but normal triglycerides; heterozygotes have mild lipid changes and are susceptible to atherosclerosis in middle age, but homozygotes have severe changes often with generalised xanthomatosis and xanthelasma, and frank clinical atherosclerosis as young adults. The primary defect is a deficiency of apoprotein of VLDL, and the disorder is divided into two classes: 1) type IIA, which has elevated LDL due to a deficiency of the receptor or a modified apolipoprotein B-100; 2) type IIB, which has elevated LDL and triglycerides; autosomal dominant inheritance. Synonym: familial hyperbetalipoproteinaemia, familial hypercholesteraemic xanthomatosis, familial hypercholesterolaemia. (05 Mar 2000)