Can You Get Rid Of Cholesterol Deposits
Researchers are working on ways to eliminate plaque from coronary arteries. One method that has been proposed involves using combinations of medicines in healthy people aged 25 to 55 years. It is suggested that getting the levels of cholesterol down very low will allow arteries to clear up and heal up.
Several researchers believe that the way to reverse heart disease and prevent it in the first place is found in a whole-food, plant-based diet. Studies have been done that have shown that limiting nutrition to whole foods that are plant-based have been successful in reducing blood cholesterol and even, in some cases, lessening plaque buildup.
What Are Normal Levels Of Cholesterol
Normal levels of cholesterol are different depending on your age and sex. These guidelines show desirable total, non-HDL, LDL and HDL levels by age and sex.
Table 1: Target cholesterol levels by age and sex
| Age and sex |
|---|
cholesterol
cholesterol
People aged 19 years and younger Men aged 20 years and olderWomen aged 20 years and older
The table above spells out the numbers for normal cholesterol levels. The table below shows cholesterol levels that are higher than normal. High cholesterol numbers vary by age group and sex and may be different for those who have heart disease. These guidelines represent high cholesterol numbers for those who do not have heart disease.
Table 2: High total, non-HDL and LDL cholesterol levels by age and sex
| Age and sex |
|---|
| People aged 19 years and younger |
Borderline: 170-199 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL
Borderline: 120-144 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 145 mg/dL
Borderline: 110-129 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 130 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 239 mg/dL
Near optimal or above optimal: 100-129 mg/dL
Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL
Very high: Greater than 189 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 239 mg/dL
Near optimal or above optimal: 100-129 mg/dL
Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL
Very high: Greater than 189 mg/dL
LDL cholesterol levels
If you do not have heart disease or blood vessel disease, and you are not at high risk for developing heart disease, the optimal number is less than 100 mg/dL.
Triglycerides
What Is Serum Ldl Cholesterol
A serum cholesterol level is a size of positive components in the blood, together with the volume of high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in an individuals blood. A persons serum cholesterol stage can point out their chance for stipulations comparable to coronary heart illness.
What is a excellent quantity for LDL? Your LDL cholesterol number is: Optimal if it is less than 100. Near optimal/above optimum if it is 100-129. Borderline high if it is 130-159.
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What Do My Test Results Mean
Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean you have a problem. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you.
Results are given in milligrams per deciliter . Here are the ranges for total cholesterol in adults:
- Normal: Less than 200 mg/dL
- Borderline high: 200 to 239 mg/dL
- High: At or above 240 mg/dL
These are the adult ranges for LDL cholesterol:
- Optimal: Less than 100 mg/dL
- Near optimal: 100 to 129 mg/dL
- Borderline high: 130 to 159 mg/dL
- High: 160 to 189 mg/dL
- Very high: 190 mg/dL and higher
The above numbers are general guidelines, because actual goals depend on the number of risk factors you have for heart disease.
Your HDL cholesterol levels should be above 40 mg/dL. This type of fat is actually good for you because it lowers your risk of heart disease. The higher the number, the lower your risk. Sixty mg/dL or above is considered the level to protect you against heart disease.
High levels of triglycerides are linked with a higher heart disease risk. Here are the adult ranges:
- Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
- Borderline high: 150 to 199 mg/dL
- High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
- Very high: Above 500 mg/dL
Depending on your test results, your healthcare provider will decide whether you need lifestyle changes or medicines to lower your cholesterol.
Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines Update
RICHARD S. SAFEER, M.D., Concentra Medical Centers, Baltimore, Maryland
PRABHA S. UGALAT, M.P.H., George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.
Am Fam Physician. 2002 Mar 1 65:871-881.
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, accounting for approximately 500,000 deaths per year and an associated annual morbidity cost of more than $200 billion.1 In the past three decades, numerous clinical and epidemiologic studies have shown repeatedly that an elevated blood cholesterol level is one of the major modifiable risk factors associated with the development of CHD.2 In particular, these studies have demonstrated that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is the primary lipoprotein mediating atherosclerosis. Other risk factors such as cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and a low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol also have been implicated in CHD.3
New Aspects of ATP III Guidelines
Focus on multiple risk factors
ATP = Adult Treatment Panel CHD = coronary heart disease LDL = low-density lipoprotein HDL = high-density lipoprotein.
Adapted with permission from Executive summary of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults . JAMA 2001 285:2487.
New Aspects of ATP III Guidelines
Focus on multiple risk factors
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What Affects My Cholesterol Levels
A variety of things can affect cholesterol levels. These are some things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels:
- Diet. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat make your blood cholesterol level rise. Saturated fat is the main problem, but cholesterol in foods also matters. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level. Foods that have high levels of saturated fats include some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods.
- Weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. It also raises your HDL cholesterol level.
- Physical Activity. Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.
- Smoking.Cigarette smoking lowers your HDL cholesterol. HDL helps to remove bad cholesterol from your arteries. So a lower HDL can contribute to a higher level of bad cholesterol.
Things outside of your control that can also affect cholesterol levels include:
How Do I Prepare For The Test
You may need to not eat or drink anything but water for 12 to 14 hours before this test. In addition, be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don’t need a prescription and any illicit drugs you may use.
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How Often To Get Tested
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , most healthy adults should get their cholesterol checked every four to six years.
Your risk factors also determine how often your cholesterol should be checked. Adults who have a history of high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, or obesity need more frequent readings, as do all adults as they age.
Children should have their cholesterol checked at least once between the ages of 9 and 11 and again between 17 and 20 years of age. If a child has a family history of high cholesterol, heart disease, or is overweight or obese, their pediatrician may recommend getting checked sooner and more often.
What Kind Of Test Measures Cholesterol
Everyone over the age of 20 should get their cholesterol levels measured at least once every five years. Your healthcare provider will order a blood test that will indicate how much cholesterol is carried in your bloodstream. This test will give your cholesterol levels. Your provider might also order what is called a lipid panel or a lipid profile. The panel gives you the following numbers:
- Total cholesterol.
- Non-HDL cholesterol.
- Ratio between cholesterol and HDL.
There are advanced tests that break down the size and shapes of LDL cholesterol levels, and also give the LDL particle number, but those are not normally ordered. Some test makers say that the more advanced tests are better at indicating who is at risk for heart disease, but most providers still feel that the usual tests are adequate.
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What Are Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol circulating in the blood is carried by special particles called lipoproteins. The two major cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins are low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein :
- LDL cholesterol is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol because too much of it can build up in your arteries and form plaques, which increases the risk of heart disease .
- HDL cholesterol is often referred to as “good” cholesterol as it carries cholesterol to the liver to be broken down and excreted.
Since your total cholesterol is a combination of your LDL cholesterol and your HDL cholesterol, ideally you want to keep your LDL levels low and your HDL levels high. There are many factors that can influence your cholesterol, including, diet, exercise, weight, genetics, and other health conditions.
Can Bad Cholesterol Levels Be Too Low Can Good Cholesterol Levels Be Too High
It isnt often that people have bad cholesterol that is too low or good cholesterol that is too high. There are studies being done that suggest that extremes of any kind are not healthy for everyone.
Even though there is no clear-cut number about what LDL level is too low, levels under 40 mg/dL may be associated with certain health issues, including depression/anxiety, and hemorrhagic stroke.
However, there is data from clinical trials to support that there is no evidence of harm when LDLs remain < 40mg/dl on statin therapy.
In some cases, genetic conditions can cause you to have very low cholesterol levels. In other cases, nutritional problems, some cancers, hypothyroidism and certain infections can also cause low cholesterol levels. In any of these types of situations, the underlying issues need to be addressed.
In terms of having too much of a good thing, researchers are studying the effects of too much HDL, the good cholesterol. No conclusions have been reached, but there have been studies into the possible relationship between high HDL and cancer, and a greater risk of heart attack among the high risk. Excessively high HDL may be dysfunctional HDL and not protective.
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Effects On Lipid Profile
Antimalarials have a beneficial effect on lipid profile of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and SLE, especially those treated with steroids .
Concordant studies showed a reduced total cholesterol levels in patients taking antimalarials. Petri et al. studied 264 SLE patients from the Baltimore Lupus Cohort. In the longitudinal regression analysis, HCQ was associated with lower serum cholesterol whatever the HCQ dose . The authors calculated that HCQ was able to balance the adverse effect of 10 mg of prednisone on cholesterol. Rahman et al. studied 815 SLE patients. Initiation of antimalarials without steroids reduced the baseline total cholesterol by 4.1% at 3 months and by 0.6% at 6 months , whereas initiation of antimalarials on a stable dose of steroids reduced the total cholesterol by 11.3% at 3 months and 9.4% at 6 months . The cessation of antimalarials increased the total cholesterol by 3.6% at 3 months and 5.4% at 6 months . In 181 patients taking steroids and antimalarials, the mean total cholesterol level was 11% less than for 201 patients receiving a comparable dose of steroids alone .
In 65 consecutive SLE Chinese patients, Tam et al. only found a trend toward a lower triglyceride level in patients on HCQ , whereas other parameters of the serum lipid profile were similar between patients whether receiving or not receiving HCQ. A possible explanation for these discrepancies was the low doses of steroids used and a lower background lipid level in this study.
What Is A Normal Serum Cholesterol Level
| healthy serum cholesterol |
|---|
| higher than 55 mg/dL for women and 45 mg/dL for men |
| healthy triglycerides |
Keeping this in consideration, what is the normal range for HDL and LDL?
Men age 20 or older:
| Type of Cholesterol | |
|---|---|
| HDL | 40mg/dL or higher |
Likewise, is serum cholesterol good or bad? According to the American Heart Association, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is often considered bad, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is considered good. A person’s serum cholesterol level can indicate their risk for conditions such as heart disease.
is a cholesterol level of 5.5 high?
Safe blood cholesterol levelsHealth authorities recommend that cholesterol levels should be no higher than 5.5 mmol per litre if there are no other risk factors present.
Is 4.2 a good cholesterol level?
But having good HDL cholesterol in your blood can help keep your bad LDL cholesterol in check. If you’ve had a blood test to find out your blood cholesterol level, you might see your total cholesterol level written as something like 4.2 mmol/lor hear it said as âFour point two millimolesper litreâ.
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Are Home Cholesterol Testing Kits Accurate
The answer is yes if the tests are labeled CDC-certified. This means that the contents have been approved by the Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network, a group that works with test makers, laboratories and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make sure tests are accurate.
For home tests, you will still need to fast for 12 hours and to obtain blood for testing. Some kits come with packages for mailing to a lab for results. Other kits have a monitor so you can get the results at home. The cost of such home kits varies.
What Are The Symptoms Of Cholesterol Problems
The maximum common signs come with: angina, chest ache. nausea. extreme fatigue. shortness of breath. pain in the neck, jaw, higher stomach, or back. numbness or coldness in your extremities.
What are the indications of high cholesterol within the body?
Ask about being examined for prime cholesterol. You increase symptoms of coronary heart illness, stroke, or atherosclerosis in other blood vessels, corresponding to left-sided chest pain, drive, or fullness dizziness unsteady gait slurred speech or ache in the decrease legs.
Is LDL 145 dangerous?
Heres a breakdown of LDL cholesterol levels and health: Less than 70 milligrams per deciliter this is your purpose in the event youre at very high chance for a heart assault. One hundred to 129 mg/dL near or above the perfect stage. 130 to 159 mg/dL borderline high.
What food is high in cholesterol?
Here are 7 high-cholesterol meals which are extremely nutritious. Eggs. Eggs are some of the nutritious meals you’ll devour. Cheese. A 1-ounce serving of cheese provides 27 mg of cholesterol, or about 9% of the RDI . Shellfish. Pasture-Raised Steak. Organ Meats. Sardines. Full-Fat Yogurt.
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What Is This Test
This group of tests measures the amount of cholesterol and other fats in your blood.
Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids, or fats. These fats are important for cell health, but they can be harmful when they build up in the blood. Sometimes they can lead to clogged, inflamed arteries, a condition call atherosclerosis. This may keep your heart from working normally if the arteries of your heart muscle are affected.
This panel of tests helps predict your risk for heart disease and stroke.
A lipid panel measures these fats:
- Total cholesterol
- Stress
- High total cholesterol
If you are already being treated for heart disease, you may have this test to see whether treatment is working.
Types Of Cholesterol And How They Work In Your Body
Cholesterol is carried through the circulatory system on two lipoproteins: high-density lipoproteins , often referred to as good cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins , also called bad cholesterol.
HDL has been labeled good cholesterol because it removes LDL cholesterol from the arteries and takes it to the liver, where it can be broken down and removed from the body, according to the AHA.
LDL is termed bad cholesterol because when there is too much of it circulating in the blood , it can eventually build up in the form of plaque on the walls of your arteries. This is called atherosclerosis. Over time, this narrows the arteries and raises the risk for heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease, notes the AHA.
A high level of triglycerides the most common type of fat in your body can also lead to fatty buildups in your arteries and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, if combined with high LDL or low HDL cholesterol levels, per the AHA.
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Reducing Ldl Cholesterol Levels
The liver produces enough cholesterol to meet all of the bodys needs. Any cholesterol a person consumes through food and drink is excess.
Changing the diet is an effective way to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Reducing the consumption of trans fats can be an important first step in bringing cholesterol levels down.
According to the American Heart Association , trans and saturated fats should account for no more than 6% of a persons daily intake of calories.
If a person consumes 2,000 calories per day, they should only take in 1113 grams of saturated fats per day.
Other dietary and lifestyle changes that can help people reach optimum cholesterol levels include:
- eating fewer full fat dairy products, such as whole milk, butter, cream, and cheeses
- eating less red meat, pork, lamb, and poultry with skin
- avoiding heavily processed foods
- exercising regularly
- addressing related medical conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure
Keeping a food diary can help a person identify room for improvement and develop healthier habits.
The following activities can boost a persons levels of HDL cholesterol:
- using oils with fewer trans fats, such as those from olives, sunflowers, canola, and corn
- eating more whole fruits and vegetables
- eating more whole grains and cereals
- replacing meat with plant-based protein sources, such as tofu and quinoa
- increasing their intake of dietary fiber
- drinking low fat milk or replacing milk with a dairy-free alternative
- getting regular exercise