Cholesterol

A doctor can measure your total cholesterol level using a blood test. The blood test measures a number of factors including what is considered “good” and “bad” cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol. All of these elements combined make up your total cholesterol count.

Before the doctor takes the blood test, it’s valuable to know about the different elements that make up the total cholesterol count and how they affect your body.

Cholesterol is a fatty-like substance that is part of every cell in the body. It plays a part in cell and hormone growth and other essential health functions. Naturally, it is important to have cholesterol in the body, but too much cholesterol can lead to heart-related health issues like heart disease and heart attacks.

The blood test will show how much LDL cholesterol is in your bloodstream. LDL, or “bad” cholesterol stands for low-density lipoproteins. When you have too much LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, it causes a build-up similar to a thick plaque-like layer to develop on the arteries. This build-up makes it more difficult for blood to pump to the heart efficiently. When a clot forms in an artery, a heart attack or stroke can occur. LDL cholesterol levels can be controlled through good diet choices, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

The opposite of LDL cholesterol is HDL cholesterol, which is considered the “good” cholesterol. High levels of HDL actually perform a preventive function, carrying bad cholesterol toward the liver and away from the heart. It can also remove excess cholesterol build-up, or the plaque described above that develops from LDL cholesterol. To maintain high HDL levels, one must stay active and not lead a sedentary lifestyle, not smoke and make healthy diet choices. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, low-fat dairy products and other foods low in saturated fat will benefit your HDL levels.

The next feature included in your total cholesterol level is triglycerides. Triglycerides are simply a form of fat found in the body. What doctors have found is that a high level of triglycerides is linked to obesity, a sedentary lifestyle as well as smoking and alcohol consumption and a diet high in carbohydrates. High triglyceride levels put you at risk for heart related problems.

Total cholesterol also includes an element called Lp(a) cholesterol. Lp(a) is a variation of the bad cholesterol, LDL, and measures the risk factor of the development of excess cholesterol in your cells. Lp(a) is known to interact with other elements in artery walls which produce the build-up and thwart blood flow to the heart.

If you total cholesterol levels are less than 200 mg/dL that is considered desirable and at a healthy rate. If the test results fall into the 200-239 mg/dL range, that is considered borderline-high risk and your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan and assess your diet and lifestyle to bring down your total cholesterol number into a more healthy range.

A test showing 240 mg/dL or more means you are high risk and that you have twice the chance of developing heart disease than those people whose total cholesterol is in the desirable range. If this is the case, serious changes will have to be made to the person’s diet and lifestyle. Medication may also be recommended to improve the situation. To lower your total cholesterol numbers, you must eat low-fat, healthy foods and avoid foods high in saturated and trans fats. Staying active is also beneficial to keeping your cholesterol levels healthy. You and your doctor will determine the most appropriate treatment plan to address your cholesterol issues.