Triglyceride Tests
Heart Stroke Related High Cholesterol
Total Cholesterol
Ldl To Hdl Cholesterol
Healthy Cholesterol
Cholesterol
HDL LDL
ideal cholesterol
Once you have the readings, you should be able to correct the course you are on, so as to ensure that you eliminate the bad cholesterol and maintain good health. With our blood being watery in nature and LDL cholesterol being fatty, the combining of the two is similar to mixing water with oil. One of the first steps that should be taken to eliminate high cholesterol food from your diet is identifying which foods are high in cholesterol. Processed foods such as cookies, pastries, and muffins, all containing a lot of fat, are considered high cholesterol food, as well. One of the functions of the liver, in the digestive process, is to turn cholesterol into bile acids that make their way into the intestinal tract where they are absorbed and returned to the liver. Everyone has heard of cholesterol but not everyone knows what it entails; there are both good and bad types of Cholesterol.
cholesterol lowering medication
However, sometimes reading food labels isnt enough, a recent study showed that people are reading food labels but arent deterred from eating those foods they know are bad for them. A low cholesterol diet should be followed by anyone who cares about their health. Many Americans today are battling high cholesterol, and yet others are attempting to maintain their good cholesterol levels. A good cholesterol lowering diet is one low in saturated fat and sodium. You have to pay attention to the labels and you have to refrain from eating too many of the foods that are bad for you.
There are a few different names for cholesterol tests such as total cholesterol, lipid tests, lipoprotein test or lipid profile. These tests all do essentially the same thing, which is measure the amount of cholesterol or triglycerides in serums (blood).
Preparing For And Taking A Cholesterol Test
It is advisable to fast for nine to twelve hours before you go to the lab for a cholesterol test. Only water should be ingested during the fasting period because any other substances can possibly affect the test results. For adults, no other preparation is necessary. For infants and children requiring testing, explaining the steps of blood collection will help relieve some anxiety, but infants may still need to be restrained.
A sample of blood is needed to perform a total cholesterol test. For a quick simple test a lancet is used to prick a finger and a small amount of blood is applied to a test strip, slide or other small container. The results for this type of test can take mere minutes.
A more detailed cholesterol test requires more blood so the sample must extracted from a vein using a needle and collected in an airtight vial or syringe. It can take several days to get the results from this type of test.
Total Cholesterol Level Test Results
The results of a cholesterol test will help your doctor decide what treatments, if any, are necessary to reduce your risks of heart disease and stroke. Normal levels of total cholesterol are less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), while 200-239 mg/dl is considered borderline high and any reading 240 mg/dl or higher is considered high.
Cholesterol test results, other than total cholesterol, will give you the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides.
Doctors Orders
Depending on the results of your cholesterol test your doctor may first prescribe that a new diet that is low in fat and cholesterol. Increasing the amount and frequency of regular exercise can also help lower your total cholesterol number. As always, smoking cessation is advised not only to control cholesterol levels but also to improve your health in general.
But if these lifestyle changes do not bring your total cholesterol levels into a normal range, prescription medications may be necessary. These drugs, known as statins, come in a variety of brand names. Your doctor has many choices and will advise you about potential side effects of any he may prescribe.
To truly get your cholesterol numbers under control and reduce your risks of premature heart attack or stroke you must watch your diet, exercise regularly and take your medicines as directed.