How Is An Hdl Cholesterol Test Different From A Total Cholesterol Test
A total cholesterol test measures the sum of all cholesterol found in different kinds of lipoproteins. The total cholesterol number includes HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and VLDL cholesterol.
Because these kinds of cholesterol have distinct implications for cardiovascular health, tests of total cholesterol often measure HDL cholesterol as well so that more information is provided about the ratio of HDL to non-HDL cholesterol in the blood.
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 vary.
How To Raise Hdl Cholesterol And Lower Triglycerides
What I have found really works is a simple change in your diet: Lower carbohydrates and increase monounsaturated fats found in nuts, especially almonds, walnuts, pecan, macadamia and pistachios. Increasing the intake olive oil, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon also helps somewhat. Compared to popular belief, exercise does not help to raise your HDL cholesterol or lower triglycerides.
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Does High Cholesterol Mean You Have Clogged Arteries
Its clear that having high cholesterol can be harmful for your cardiovascular system because it can increase your risk of having clogged arteries . Arteries are the most common of your blood vessels where the plague buildups due to excessive cholesterol in the blood occur. Excessive amounts of cholesterol that travel through the blood can affect the blood flow inside the arteries which then eventually can make your heart work harder in pumping the blood. And if your blood flow cannot run as well as it should, there will be many serious complications that occur such as hypertension , heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
What is the difference between HDL and LDL?
In general, cholesterol is classified by the type of particles that carry cholesterol in the blood called lipoprotein. So, lipoprotein itself is a package of protein-cholesterol. LDL and HDL are the most common kinds of cholesterol discussed when it comes to the issue of lowering the risk of heart disease.
While LDL stands for low density lipoprotein, HLD stands for high density lipoprotein. And as the name suggests, LDL is high in fatty deposits and cholesterol. On the other side, HDL is very low in cholesterol.
Overall, we can say that HDL is good cholesterol and LDL is bad cholesterol. How they work in affecting the blood flow inside arteries opposing each other. While high LDL increases the risk of creating more plague buildups on the arterys walls, HDL works in the opposite way !
High Cholesterol High Hdl Low Triglycerides
Dr T
Question:;Answer:
There are 2 kinds of LDL cholesterol, A and B, of which B is associated with heart disease.Most labs calculate LDL as follows:
LDL = Total Cholesterol HDL triglycerides/5.
This doesnt explain the difference between LDL A ; or B .
Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between a low triglyceride/high HDL level and LDL pattern A .
On the other hand, a high triglyceride/low HDL level is strongly associated with LDL pattern B . Thus high triglycerides are an independent risk factor for heart disease.
From this you can calculate that in your situation a high LDL is mostly Type A , confirmed by a high HDL and low triglyrerides and that therefore there a very low risk of heart disease.
Having high cholesterol may still be healthy if good cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and other markers of cardiovascular health are good. You can calculate this here. People with high good cholesterol levels and low levels of triglycerides may actually be at a lower risk for heart disease than people with normal cholesterol levels who have lower levels of good cholesterol and higher levels of bad cholesterol.
Hope this helps,
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Heart Uk Recommendations For People With High Levels Of Hdl
If you have a family history of early heart disease
Ideally your doctor should contact a lipid specialist for advice if:
- your HDL cholesterol level is higher than average with no obvious cause
- and other people in your family, such as a parent or sibling, have heart disease and were diagnosed below the age of 60.
If your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol are high
If your total cholesterol is over 7.5mmol, with HDL over 2.5mmol, then your doctor should base their treatment decision mainly on your LDL cholesterol .
Raised LDL cholesterol puts your heart health at risk so it needs to be brought under control.
Note that the TC/HDL ratio may be misleading if your HDL is high.
Look after your overall health
If you have high cholesterol, its important to lower your risk of heart disease overall. Try to adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle and manage any other health problems you have that can lead to heart disease. For example:
What Causes High Cholesterol
Your liver produces cholesterol, but you also get cholesterol from food. Eating too many foods that are high in fat can increase your cholesterol level.
Being overweight and inactive also causes high cholesterol. If you are overweight, you most likely have a higher level of triglycerides. If you never exercise and arent active in general, it can lower your HDL .
You family history also affects your cholesterol level. Research has shown that high cholesterol tends to run in families. If you have an immediate family member who has it, you could have it, too.
Smoking also causes high cholesterol. It lowers your HDL .
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Goals For Your Cholesterol Levels
It’s best to keep your total cholesterol level below 200. Women of any age should have an HDL level of 40 or higher.
If you already have heart disease or diabetes, or your doctor estimates that your 10-year risk of heart disease is 20 percent or higher, try to keep your LDL level below 100.
If you do not have heart disease or diabetes, but you have two major risk factors, try to keep your LDL cholesterol level below 130. Major risk factors are age over 55; cigarette smoking; high blood pressure; low HDL ; a father or brother with heart disease before age 55, or a mother or sister with heart disease before age 65.
If you have fewer than two major risk factors, try to keep your LDL level below 160.
What Is The Difference Between Good Cholesterol And Bad Cholesterol
Good cholesterol is known as high-density lipoprotein . It removes cholesterol from the bloodstream. Low-density lipoprotein is the bad cholesterol.
If your total cholesterol level is high because of a high LDL level, you may be at higher risk of heart disease or stroke. But, if your total cholesterol level is high only because of a high HDL level, youre probably not at higher risk.
Triglycerides are another type of fat in your blood. When you eat more calories than your body can use, it turns the extra calories into triglycerides.
Changing your lifestyle can improve your cholesterol levels, lower LDL and triglycerides, and raise HDL.
Your ideal cholesterol level will depend on your risk for heart disease.
- Total cholesterol level; less than 200 is best, but it depends on your HDL and LDL levels.
- LDL cholesterol levels; less than 130 is best, but this depends on your risk for heart disease.
- HDL cholesterol levels; 60 or higher reduces your risk for heart disease.
- Triglycerides; less than 150 milligrams per deciliter is best.
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How High Is Too High
Most health professionals are taught that the higher the HDL cholesterol, the more protective it is for your heart health. However, some specialist doctors are beginning to question this.
Very high levels of HDL have been reported to speed up the process of atherosclerosis,;where the arteries become clogged up with fat,;suggesting that at very high levels HDL doesnt do its normal job of clearing fat from the arteries.
Current recommendations for healthy levels of HDL cholesterol
- 1.2mmol/L or above in women
- 1.1mmol/L or above in men
Our HEART UK experts say the protective effect of HDL cholesterol appears to reach its maximum at roughly 1.4mmol/L, and higher levels may not provide extra protection.
Over 2.3mmol/L, HDL may behave more like LDL cholesterol and raise the risk of disease, according to current research. This is especially important for women leading up to after the menopause.
High Total Cholesterol Normal Ldl Cholesterol Normal Hdl Cholesterol Very High Triglycerides
Even though triglycerides only contribute a small fraction to the total cholesterol value, very high levels can drastically skew this value and are very dangerous. High levels of triglycerides, especially without high levels of HDL or LDL, may indicate issues in the liver, where triglycerides are made. Testing your liver enzymes can help you identify whether there is in fact a problem levels of these enzymes would be high if this were the case.;Elevated triglycerides can be damaging to your cardiovascular system, but can also lead to acute pancreatitis , which requires immediate medical attention.3
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What To Do When Your Total Cholesterol Is High But Your Ldl And Hdl Levels Are Within The Normal Range
Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance normally found in the blood. It can be produced naturally by the body via the liver; it can also be consumed from the diet.
Atherosclerosis
Cholesterol is found in every cell in the body and is essential for the formation of cell membranes, certain hormones as well as vitamin D.
Cholesterol is insoluble in water, and since a greater percentage of blood is water, it cannot be ordinarily carried in the blood. The body uses specialized proteins produced in the liver, called lipoproteins to transport cholesterol in the blood.
These proteins may be grouped into two: High-density lipoprotein and Low-density Lipoprotein. They are both codified as HDL and LDL.
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HDL helps to carry excess cholesterol deposits from the blood to the liver where they are removed from the body. It has a protective function. Cholesterol which is carried by HDL is often called good cholesterol. High HDL levels in the blood reduce the risk for heart diseases and stroke.
LDL carries most of the bodys cholesterol, and deposit them in arterial walls, and this may cause a build-up which will lead to the development of plaques. Plaques block the arteries and may lead to heart attacks or strokes. The cholesterol carried by LDL is often called bad cholesterol. Therefore, high LDL levels in the blood may lead to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.
Hdl Cholesterol: ‘good’ Cholesterol
Not all cholesterol is bad. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol is considered “good” cholesterol because it actually works to keep the LDL, or “bad” cholesterol from building up in your arteries. The higher the HDL, the better. HDL levels of 60 mg/dL and higher can help reduce your risk for heart disease. Conversely, HDL levels of 40 mg/dL and lower are considered a high risk-factor for developing heart disease.
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How Can You Lower Your Non
You get all the cholesterol you need from your liver. You also get some from foods like meat, poultry, dairy products, and saturated oils used in baked goods. These foods also prompt your liver to make more cholesterol.
To reduce your overall cholesterol levels, limit your intake of saturated fats. That means going light on fatty meat and full-fat dairy products.
Its also important to avoid trans fats, which you may find listed as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in:
- baked goods like store-bought cookies, cakes, pastries, and frozen pies
- snack foods like crackers, microwaveable popcorn, frozen pizza crusts, and meat pies
- fried fast foods like fried chicken, french fries, fried noodles, and battered fish
- vegetable shortening which is often used in baked goods as a cheap alternative to butter
- stick margarine which is made from hydrogenated vegetable oils
- non-dairy coffee creamers used as a substitute for milk and cream in coffee, tea, and other hot beverages
Instead of eating processed foods, try to focus on eating more whole foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and healthy sources of protein, like fish, skinless chicken, and lean red meat.
Some foods that may help improve LDL cholesterol include:
- oatmeal and oat bran
How To Lower Cholesterol: Know Your Fats
The American Heart Association recommends that just 25% to 35% of your daily calories come from fats such as those found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. For healthy people, saturated fat should comprise no more than 7% of your total calories. On a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, that’s about 140 calories worth of saturated fat. If you need to lower your LDL cholesterol, limit saturated fat to 5% to 6% of calories, or about 11 to 13 grams of saturated fat on a 2,000-calorie diet. Reduce trans fats to less than 1% of your total daily calories. This means avoiding fried foods and many junk foods.
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Cholesterol Tests And Their Results
The United Stated Preventive Services Task Force , which makes healthcare screening recommendations for Americans, suggests that men 35 and older, and women 45 and older, have their lipids screened at least once. It also recommends that both men and women at increased risk for coronary heart disease with a history of heart disease in the family, for example be screened for lipid disorders starting at age 20. Other medical societies recommend testing cholesterol more aggressively, including the AHA, which advises having your cholesterol checked every four to six years starting at age 20 .
Until very recently, patients had been told to fast for 9 to 12 hours before being tested. Now, new research involving more than 300,000 people, published in April 2016 in the European Heart Journal,;says;its not necessary to do a cholesterol test on an empty stomach, though some doctors still recommend it.
A cholesterol test measures HDL, LDL, and triglycerides; other lipoproteins may be tested by a lipid specialist. A lab report may list your results for each of these, with additional information showing desirable targets in milligrams per deciliter :
Total Cholesterol
- Above 500: very high
Cholesterol Ratio
This measures your level of HDL cholesterol in relation to your total. An optimal ratio is less than 3.5 to 1. A higher ratio means youre more at risk for heart disease.
What Is A Normal Range For Non
The higher your non-HDL cholesterol, the higher your risk of heart disease.
A study published in 2018 involved more than 36,000 people with a low 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease. A long-term follow-up found LDL and non-HDL readings of more than 160 mg/dL were each linked with a 50 to 80 percent increased relative risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
For other cholesterol readings, the following guidelines apply if you dont have heart or blood vessel disease.
Your LDL cholesterol reading is:
- optimal if less than 100 mg/dL
- above optimal/borderline high if between 100 and 129 mg/dL
- mildly high if 130 to 159 mg/dL
- high at 160 to 189 mg/dL
- very high at 190 mg/dL or above
Your HDL cholesterol reading is:
- optimal if its 60 mg/dL or above
- low if its 40 mg/dL or lower
Your triglyceride reading is:
- optimal if less than 100 mg/dL
- borderline high at 100 to 149 mg/dL
- high if 150 to 499 mg/dL
- very high if higher than 500 mg/dL
Your doctor may have different goals for you if youre at high risk of heart disease or have already had heart disease.
- have kidney disease
Studies are beginning to highlight the importance of non-HDL in assessing cardiovascular risk.
For example, in a 2016 study, researchers looked at data from nine clinical trials involving people with coronary disease. They found that achieved non-HDL cholesterol was more strongly associated with disease progression than LDL.
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What Are Good Levels For The Hdl Cholesterol
A cholesterol test or lipid panel tells the level of HDL cholesterol. What do the numbers mean?
- HDL cholesterol levels greater than 60 milligrams per deciliter are high. That’s good.
- HDL cholesterol levels less than 40 mg/dL are low. That’s not so good.
In general, people with high HDL are at lower risk for heart disease. People with low HDL are at higher risk.
What Are Hdl And Ldl
HDL and LDL are two types of lipoproteins.They are a combination of fat and protein. The lipids need to be attached to the proteins so they can move through the blood. HDL and LDL have different purposes:
- HDL stands for high-density lipoproteins. It is sometimes called the “good” cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver then removes the cholesterol from your body.
- LDL stands for low-density lipoproteins. It is sometimes called the “bad” cholesterol because a high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries.
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