Cholesterol Screening Tests

What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is nothing but complex fat present in your body. Your body metabolism has transformed the excess fat into a complex fat system known as lipid and stores the lipid to enable your body to use to construct cells and secrete certain hormones and bile salts.

Your cholesterol and your protein in your bloodstream form the new form of proteins known as lipoprotein. You have two different categories of lipoproteins: The first one being High Density Lipoprotein (HDL); it is considered as your good cholesterol for one simple reason i.e. HDL has more protein than fat. The other lipoprotein being Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL); it is assumed as your bad cholesterol since LDL has more fat than protein.

Is there any screening test to evaluate the cholesterol level in your body? The screening test is called 'lipid profile' or 'analysis of lipoprotein'. The screening test includes the measurement of:

1) the total cholesterol in your blood;

2) High Density Lipoproteins (HDL);

3) Low -Density Lipoproteins (LDL); and

4) Triglycerides, another typical blood fat.

Make sure to maintain your total cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL and be assumed with relatively low risk of coronary heart disease. Keep yourself away from smoking and keep your normal diet in-take and do regular work-outs to shed excess calories.

If you find your total cholesterol level between 200 and 239, report to your physician to learn more about your levels of LDL, HDL and triglycerides. If you find your normal level LDL and higher level HDL your physician will commence a treatment program to make ideal. He will recommend diet, work-outs and some medicines. Just follow them.

If you find your total cholesterol level 240 mg/dL and above, you are at high risk category. You are doubly at the risk the of coronary heart diseases. Keep reporting to your physician to learn more about your levels of LDL, HDL and triglycerides. If you could not find your normal level of LDL and HDL and triglyceride your physician will commence a treatment program to make ideal. He will recommend diet, work-outs and some medicines. Just follow them.

HDL Level

As said earlier it is better to have higher levels of HDL. The recommended HDL cholesterol levels for an average woman falls within the range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. And the levels for average man fall within the range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. Try to build an HDL cholesterol level around 60 mg/dL or more to escape from coronary heart disease.

LDL Level

Make sure to lower your LDL and avoid the risk of heart attack and neuro-disorders like stroke. Always try to relate your total cholesterol level with LDL level. The list below shows a range of five LDL levels and the risk factors are shown against each:

LDL Levels

1) Less than 100 mg/dL > Optimal

2) 100 to 129 mg/dL > Near Optimal/ Above Optimal

3) 130 to 159 mg/dL > Borderline High

4) 160 to 189 mg/dL > High

5) 190 mg/dL and above > Very High

Keep reporting to your physician to learn more about your levels of LDL. He will make a plans, programs to work for you.

Triglyceride Level

if you have higher level of triglycerides, then you may have the chances of getting high total cholesterol level, including high LDL and low HDL levels.

Your range of triglyceride level may be:

1) Normal: less than 150 mg/dL

2) Borderline-High: 150-199 mg/dL

3) Hgh: 200-499 mg/dL

4) Very High: 500 mg/dL

If you are obese, like sedentary life, like to smoke often and consume alcohol, then you are at the risk of having high triglyceride levels. More the level of High triglycerides the more is the risk. So reduce your weight. Change your simple but healthy diet and do regular activities and work-outs. Avoid smoke and alcohol. Keep yourself watching minute changes. Keep trying.

Good luck!

Source:

1) Vaughn's Summaries (One-Pagers) - Cholesterol Range Chart Human Blood Cholesterol Range Tablehttp://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/medicine/cholesterol-range.htm

2) Webindia - Cholesterol Test (Lipid Profile) - http://www.webindia123.com/health/tests/common/chole.htm