Are you 20 years old or older? Then you definitely ought to measure your cholesterol levels via blood test. Do this one time per five years.
It is necessary to realize that you won’t see any symptoms if your cholesterol levels are high. So you cannot know if you are more liable to some unwanted health conditions even if your life style is healthy. Take a baseline cholesterol test to identify many problems at early stage and react before it is too late.
Cholesterol test (or a blood test) is also called a lipoprotein profile. It unites LDL, HDL cholesterol levels and Triglycerides.
For men aged older than 35 and women older than 45 doctors recommend to also take the screening test for lipid disorders.
Let’s talk more about every cholesterol level to help you interpret cholesterol numbers (the results of a blood test).
How to Measure Cholesterol Levels
This should not be confusing. Americans, for example measure their cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood.
Most of Europe, Canada and some other countries use millimoles per liter of blood.
The following general guidelines will assist you in understanding your cholesterol test results.
LDL
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can increase the risks of getting heart problems because it builds up on the walls of your arteries. That is why it is repeatedly named “bad” cholesterol.
To stay healthy, your LDL cholesterol level should not exceed 100 milligrams per deciliter. The worst for you is when your LDL cholesterol level raises to 190 milligrams per deciliter and higher.
Take a look at the tables below:
Measurements in the USA
| LDL Cholesterol levels (milligrams per deciliter) | below 100 | from 100 to 129 | from 130 to 159 | from 160 to 189 | 190 and above |
| Effect to your health | desirable | near optimal | borderline high | high | too high (bad) |
Measurements in Europe and Canada
| LDL Cholesterol levels (millimoles per liter) | below 2.6 | from 2.6 to 3.3 | from 3.4 to 4.1 | from 4.1 to 4.9 | above 4.9 |
| Effect to your health | desirable | near optimal | borderline high | high | too high (bad) |
For patients with blood vessel and heart problems, doctors suggest their LDL cholesterol level should be below 70 milligrams per deciliter.
Patients with diabetes should get their LDL of less than 100 milligrams per deciliter.
HDL
HDL (high density lipoprotein) Cholesterol is also known as “good” cholesterol. It protects you from heart diseases as HDL cholesterol takes LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol out of your blood lowing the risks of heart problems. The higher your level of HDL is, the better it’s for you.
Take a look at the tables below:
Measurements in the USA
| HDL cholesterol levels (milligrams per deciliter) | 60 and higher (for both men and women) | below 50 (for women) | below 40 (for men) |
| Effect to your health | desirable | Low (bad) | low (bad) |
Measurements in Europe and Canada
| HDL cholesterol levels (millimoles per liter) | above 1.5 | from 1.3 to 1.5 | below 1.3 |
| Effect to your health | desirable | Low (bad) | poor (bad) |
Triglycerides
They are stored in our bodies’ fat cells. Triglycerides are extra calories, sugar and alcohol, just converted and stored. It’s just the chemical form of fat that exists in food and body. It’s normal when your Triglycerides level is below 150 milligrams per deciliter. When it’s higher, you have a risk of developing coronary artery disease.
Take a look at the tables below:
Measurements in the USA
| Triglycerides (milligrams per deciliter) | below 150 | from 150 to 199 | from 200 to 499 | 500 and higher |
| Effect to your health | desirable | borderline high | high | too high (bad) |
Measurements in Europe and Canada
| Triglycerides (millimoles per liter) | below 1.7 | from 1.7 to 2.2 | from 2.3 to 5.6 | above 5.6 |
| Effect to your health | desirable | borderline high | high | too high (bad) |
Count Your Total Cholesterol Levels
Everybody should keep their cholesterol levels within healthy limits. In case you know that you can develop heart diseases, you need to be very careful with your total blood cholesterol and its measurements (LDL, HDL and lipid components).
It’s best when your total cholesterol levels are below 200 milligrams per deciliter.
Take a look at the tables below:
Measurements in the USA
| Total cholesterol levels (milligrams per deciliter) | less than 200 | from 200 to 239 | from 240 and above |
| Effect to your health | desirable | borderline high | high (bad) |
Measurements in Europe and Canada
| Total cholesterol levels (millimoles per liter) | less than 5.2 | from 5.2 to 6.2 | above 6.2 |
| Effect to your health | desirable | borderline high | high (bad) |
Hints and Advice
There is a risk for you of developing heart diseases (including a heart attack) when you smoke, have high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, obesity or elevated lipoprotein.
When you want your cholesterol levels measurement to be the most accurate, do not eat (drink only water) 9-12 hours before your blood test is done.
People with high LDL cholesterol levels should change their lifestyle: eat more fiber (oatmeal, beans), fruits, vegetables and less fat. This should help to improve your results.
Sometimes it’s not enough to change one’s lifestyle in order to improve cholesterol levels. In such cases your healthcare provider should prescribe you medicines to reach your targets. Of course, the drugs themselves will not do your job. You will still need to exercise and eat healthy food.