The nurse is providing group education about lipids to patients who have been diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. What does the best instruction include?

Question

1. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is called good cholesterol because it removes cholesterol from the body and gets rid of it in the liver.
2. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is called good cholesterol because it increases the oxygen content in the arteries and reduces the amount of plaque build-up.
3. High density lipoprotein (HDL) decreases the bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein [LDL]), and promotes excretion of it through the kidneys.
4. High density lipoprotein (HDL) decreases low density lipoprotein (LDL) and prevents it from converting to very low density lipoprotein (VDRL), which is the worst kind of cholesterol in the body.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale: High density lipoprotein (HDL) assists in the transport of cholesterol away from body tissues and back to the liver in a process called reverse cholesterol transport. High density lipoprotein (HDL) does not reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL), which is excreted in the feces, not the kidneys. High density lipoprotein (HDL) does not increase oxygen content in the arteries. Very low density lipoprotein (VDRL) reduces to become low density lipoprotein (LDL).