Hi Guys,
For a non-medical guy like me the word ‘Cholesterol’
is quite scary. Often we suffer from many misconceptions about it. Here is the Cholesterol
simplified…….
· There are multiple forms of cholesterol
circulating in the blood. The various forms of cholesterol and other fats in
the blood are together called lipids. Doctors measure and diagnose high
cholesterol with a simple blood test, often called a lipid profile. It's often done after
fasting for nine
to 12 hours to eliminate the contribution of any fat you recently
ate.
· Tests for cholesterol provide results for four
different types of lipids.
Total Cholesterol
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the "bad
cholesterol".
HDL (high-density lipoprotein)
is the "good cholesterol".
Triglycerides is a form of fat
in the blood.
·
Understanding Cholesterol test results:-
For total Cholesterol
200 milligrams per deciliter
(mg/dL) or less is considered normal.
201 to 240 mg/dL is borderline.
Greater than 240 mg/dL is
considered high.
For HDL ("good cholesterol"), more is better
HDL 60 mg/dL or higher is good
-- it protects against
heart disease.
heart disease.
HDL between 40 and 59 mg/dL are
acceptable.
Less than 40 mg/dL HDL is low,
increasing the risk of
heart disease.
heart disease.
For LDL ("bad cholesterol"), lower is better
LDL of less than 100 mg/dL is
optimal.
LDL of 100 to 129 mg/dL is
near-optimal.
LDL between 130 and 159 mg/dL is
borderline high.
LDL between 160 and 189 mg/dL is
high.
An LDL of 190 mg/dL or more is
considered very high.
So next time when your physician asks you to undergo the
test, take it easy. If bad cholesterol troubles
you in the test, you know what’s to be done to get rid of the little monster.
Wishing you a good health………..