Cholesterol Readings & Tests Explained Simply
Have you just got the results of your cholesterol test from you doctor? Are you concerned about your health and think you may have high cholesterol. It is essential to get you cholesterol level tested on a regular basis in order to assess what level your reading is at and what else you need to do in order to bring it back to a safe level. Testing your cholesterol level is important in oder to calculate your risk of hear disease rather than diagnosing or monitoring it. It is important to determine if you are at risk of a heart attack so that you can do something about it before it happens. Experts state that high cholesterol causes the blood vessels to harden This occurs because of the LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol that accumulates in the blood stream.
Doctors recommend that there patients have a cholesterol test every three to five years. However, if your cholesterol is high, you may want to get it checked more regularly than that.
Cholesterol tests are performed several times a year for those who are on a special diet or low calorie diet and for others who are taking cholesterol medications. Cholesterol tests are done to document the progress in lowering cholesterol.
Cholesterol testing is generally done in combination with doing a normal routine physical. Blood samples are taken and it is analyzed using a cholesterol testing device. The doctor will recommend specific testing for different components of your cholesterol which include HDL - the test for good cholesterol and LDL, which is the test for bad cholesterol.
Generally, if you have already had you cholesterol level tested, you already know your results. Typically, cholesterol levels are grouped into one of 3 categories according to the reading.
Ultimate = a cholesterol level of 200 mg or below. This means you are at low risk of heart disease.
Borderline = this means you are borderline. If your total cholesterol level is 200 mg to 240 mg this means you fit into this category. It means you are definitely at risk of getting heart disease. If you are in this category, your doctor will more than likely request additional tests to further analyze your levels.
Red Flagged = this means you take some very serious action steps in order to reduce your cholesterol level. It means you are at high Risk. A reading of 240 mg is considered to be at a very high risk of getting heart disease. If you fall into this category, your doctor will more than likely request additional tests such as a lipid profile. People who are in this category will start taking cholesterol medication immediately along with recommendations in changing eating habits to cholesterol lowering foods. Exercise will also be another important part of the management plan to reducing your cholesterol level.
After the age of 40-45 years of age, it is important to get your cholesterol level checked and determine what category you fall into. Are you at low risk for heart disease, do you need to take some precautions and change your eating habits to that of cholesterol lowering foods or are you at high risk? If you are at high risk, medication will be prescribed in order to prevent a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke. By being aware of your cholesterol reading, you are take important action steps and live a healthy and long life.