Alternative Health Methods Of Increasing Hdl
Triglycerides Low
Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Hdl Ldl Levels
Very Low Ldl
Patient Handout Low Triglycerides
Cholesterol
HDL LDL
good cholesterol levels
Changes need to be made if you hope to lower your bad cholesterol level in order to keep your blood flowing freely as it should. People who are overweight and undergo drastic weight-loss programs also tend to develop an increase in the cholesterol triglyceride content in the body. A low cholesterol diet is one of the best ways to decrease your bad cholesterol levels; read food labels and be conscious of what goes into your body. Unfortunately, some of the foods that we most love to eat are those that are packed with cholesterol and saturated fats.
healthy cholesterol levels
Side effects could include muscle aches and if these symptoms develop you should contact your physician. The food high in cholesterol is especially dangerous because those are the foods that can raise cholesterol levels, lead to clogged arteries, and eventual heart disease. This cholesterol is known as the HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins) and this is the good type of cholesterol.
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.