FaqsResearch.com | Engaging Blogs For All

Home - Causes - Understanding Cholesterol Levels

Understanding Cholesterol Levels

Understanding cholesterol levels

Blood cholesterol test is a very common test to assess the risk of heart attack. The doctor measures the levels of good and bad cholesterol in your blood to arrive at a conclusion about your risk for heart attack. But how does the doctor arrive at a conclusion? What does he check? Which parameter is the best indicator of risk of heart diseases? These are some of the questions that even doctors have deliberated at times.

Until recently, total cholesterol used to be a significant indicator of a heart condition. But nowadays, doctors are depending more on non-HDL cholesterol level and cholesterol ratios to predict the risk of heart disease. In fact, both cholesterol HDL LDL level and cholesterol ratio are now known to be better indicators of risk of heart disease than just total cholesterol or total LDL.

Who should get a cholesterol check?
It is universally accepted that people below 40 should get a cholesterol check at least every five years, if not more frequently. It is known as lipoprotein profile. This includes cholesterol HDL LDL level, amount of low-density lipoprotein, amount of high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides.

What are the optimal parameters of blood cholesterol?
Total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL is good, but your total cholesterol HDL LDL level may not be within the desirable range. For LDL cholesterol, the optimal level is less than 100 mg/dL, and for HDL or good cholesterol, it is more than 60. Similarly, for triglycerides, the optimal level is less than 150.

Cholesterol ratio
Doctors are now emphasizing on cholesterol ratio than individual cholesterol numbers. You too can calculate your cholesterol ratio by dividing your total cholesterol number by your HDL number. A ratio of 3.5-to-1 is considered to be an optimal ratio. A higher ratio translates to a higher risk of heart disease.

Total cholesterol
Testing of total cholesterol is easy, and you don’t need to fast for this. This includes both good, i.e., HDL cholesterol and bad, i.e., LDL cholesterol. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, and LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. The optimal number of total cholesterol that indicates a healthy heart is below 200. But since total cholesterol is a combination of LDL and HDL, a good number for total cholesterol may not indicate a good number for HDL or a good number for LDL. So, even if your total cholesterol HDL and LDL is in a healthy range, your HDL and LDL may or may not be in a healthy range individually. This is why total cholesterol is not considered to be an absolute indicator of risk of heart problems.

LDL cholesterol
LDL is considered to be the bad guy in cholesterol measurement. A high number of LDL increases the risk of heart attack. The most desirable level for LDL is 70 mg/dL. LDL can be measured directly as a variable in a non-fasting blood sample.

For testing LDL, you need to fast for about 12 hours. This is needed since triglyceride level may shoot up after a meal and distort the measurement. If you are alcoholic, then you should stay away from it for at least 24 hours before the test.

HDL cholesterol
HDL helps in the destruction of LDL. An HDL level of 60 or more is considered to be good, and a level of 40 or less is considered to be dangerous for the person.

Non-HDL cholesterol
You can get your non-HDL cholesterol number by subtracting HDL cholesterol level from total cholesterol level. This contains all the harmful cholesterol. A level of less than 130 mg/dL is considered to be an optimal level for non-HDL cholesterol. If you get a higher number, you are at risk of heart disease.

Ratio of total cholesterol to HDL
The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL is considered to be a measure of risk for heart diseases. Low total cholesterol to HDL is considered good since this indicates that the total quantity of HDL in total cholesterol is high. On the other hand, a high ratio of total cholesterol to HDL indicates that the quantity of HDL in total cholesterol is not significant.

LDL-HDL ratio
An LDL-HDL ratio can be obtained simply by dividing the number for LDL with the number obtained for HDL. A lower ratio indicates that the amount of HDL is substantial in comparison to the amount of LDL. This is good for your heart. On the other hand, a higher ratio indicates that the amount of HDL is not significant in comparison to the amount of LDL. This may not be good for your heart.

Disclaimer:

The content provided on our blog site traverses numerous categories, offering readers valuable and practical information. Readers can use the editorial team’s research and data to gain more insights into their topics of interest. However, they are requested not to treat the articles as conclusive. The website team cannot be held responsible for differences in data or inaccuracies found across other platforms. Please also note that the site might also miss out on various schemes and offers available that the readers may find more beneficial than the ones we cover.

The Meaning Of Having Abdominal Pain

Everything You Need To Know About Hepatitis C

Popular Articles

All You Need To Know About Bleeding Gums

All you need to know about bleeding gums We often do not pay much thought to bleeding gums and shrug it off because they invariably happen when we brush or floss our teeth. We consider it as normal but it should not be ignored. Gum bleeding is a fairly common problem.

Understanding The Stages A Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a serious progressive condition affecting the pumping power of the muscles in the heart. It is generally called heart failure, but CHF specifically means the stage when fluid builds up all around the human heart resulting in inefficient pumping. There are a total of four heart chambers.

Deep Vein Thrombosis – Diagnosis And Treatment

Deep Vein Thrombosis – Diagnosis and treatment Deep Vein Thrombosis is a condition where a blood clot occurs in one of the deeper veins in the body; usually in the legs. Deep vein thrombosis leads to symptoms such as swelling, cramps, and leg pain. In a few rare cases, there are no symptoms of deep vein thrombosis.

The Causes And Symptoms Of Carcinoid Neuroendocrine Tumors

The causes and symptoms of carcinoid neuroendocrine tumors The neuroendocrine system can be described as a network of glands producing hormones that are carried into the bloodstream. There are different roles that these hormones play in the human body. The carcinoid neuroendocrine tumor is a very rare tumor that shows up in the cells of the neuroendocrine system.

Carcinoid Neuroendocrine Tumors – Prognosis And Life Expectancy

Carcinoid neuroendocrine tumors – Prognosis and life expectancy The neuroendocrine system is a complex regulatory mechanism comprised of cells spread throughout several organ systems, including our lungs and digestive system. As they have characteristics of both nerves and endocrine cells, they are called neuroendocrine cells. The nerve cells transmit signals using electrical impulses, whereas endocrine cells make thyroid and insulin-secreting glands.

What Are The First Signs Of Liver Damage

Liver damage – What are the first signs? On the right side of the abdomen, below your rib cage, is an organ called the liver. It is the size of a football and is one of the most important organs in the human body. The liver aids in the digestion of the food we eat and also helps in flushing out the toxins from our body.

What Are The Causes And Symptoms Of External Hemorroids

What are the causes and symptoms of external Hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids, popularly known as ‘Piles,’ are enlarged or swollen blood vessels near the lower part of the rectum or anus. The inflamed veins are caused due to excessive pressure on the veins or extra strain during bowel movements. Hemorrhoids are very common in men as well as women in their middle age.

Home Remedies To Relieve Pain And Discomfort Due To Hemorrhoids

Home remedies to relieve pain and discomfort due to hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids are also known as “piles” as they are swollen or inflamed veins in and around the anus region of the body that cause severe pain, along with distress and bleeding. The swelling is caused due to increased pressure around the area or due to an injury during a bowel movement.