How much cholesterol should be in the blood test? Cholesterol test interpretation
Cholesterol in a blood test shows the amount of some fats in the blood.... This substance plays an important role in the vital functions of the body, such as the production of hormones and the structure of cells.... But the level of cholesterol in the blood must be carefully controlled.... because its abnormal increase can cause the formation of plaque in the arteries and also lead to natural diseases, including this substance produced in the heart.... The body receives a large part of it from the foods we eat, such as meat and eggs.. Chicken and receives dairy products.. for this reason, it is better to avoid eating foods containing a lot of fat so that the body does not face excessive accumulation of cholesterol.
If you recently had a blood test and found out you have high cholesterol, join us in this article from GCORP LLC Health Magazine to review what cholesterol means in a blood test and what the normal range is.
Table of contents
- What is meant by total cholesterol in a blood test?
- Reasons for conducting a cholesterol test
- 1....total cholesterol
- 2....high density lipoprotein (HDL) (LDL) (LDL) Blood
- What is the normal cholesterol test results?..
- Interpretation of cholesterol in blood test
- Cholesterol in women's blood test
- Under what conditions is cholesterol checked in children's blood test?
- What should be done to reduce the level of cholesterol in blood test?
- Guide to refer to doctor
- Quulues
- History of high cholesterol in the family
- Extra weight
- Lack of physical activity
- You suffer from diabetes
- Having a high-fat diet
- Men over 45 and women over 55
- Hypothyroidism
- Diabetes Kidney diseases
- Lupus
- AIDS
- Normal: less than 200 mg/dL
- Limited: 200 to 239 mg/dL
- High and dangerous: 240 mg/dL and above
- Give up smoking and alcohol.
- Avoid eating fatty and salty foods.
- Have a balanced diet.
- Use a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and protein sources.
What is meant by total cholesterol in blood test?
Cholesterol in the blood test refers to a type of fat that the body needs to perform some vital tasks.... The body supplies this substance through 2 main sources, namely the liver and food containing fat.. Cholesterol in the blood test is done with a venous sample and has 2 good and bad models.... Measuring this blood factor helps doctors to prevent blood cards.. Diseases.
Reasons for cholesterol testing
High cholesterol usually has no signs or symptoms.. Therefore, a cholesterol test can be an important diagnostic tool.. High cholesterol in a blood test is often a risk factor for heart disease..
This type of test includes the calculation of four types of fats (lipids) in the blood, which include the following:
1... Total cholesterol
Shows the total amount of cholesterol in the blood.
2... High-density lipoprotein (HDL)
It is considered as the good cholesterol in the blood.. because it can help reduce the bad cholesterol in the blood.. This causes the arteries to open up and blood flow through them freely.
3... Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
This is considered bad cholesterol.... Too much LDL cholesterol in the blood can cause fat (plaque) to build up in the arteries and clog them.... This reduces blood flow and increases the risk of stroke or heart attack..
Learn more: What is mcv in a blood test?
4.... Triglyceride
Triglyceride is another type of fat in the blood....When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn't need into triglycerides....Triglyceride is stored in fat cells....High levels of triglycerides are associated with many factors such as being overweight, eating sweets, drinking alcohol, smoking, and diabetes.
Learn more: Is high cholesterol dangerous?
Who should have a cholesterol test?
All adults over the age of 20 should have this test every five years.. It is best to start this test in your early twenties to evaluate cholesterol in the blood test.... Even if you are healthy, you should have this test regularly... An acute illness, heart attack or severe stress can affect blood cholesterol levels.
On the other hand, cholesterol testing is necessary for people in the following conditions:
Learn more: What to eat for high cholesterol?
Which doctor should we visit to evaluate cholesterol in a blood test?
You can first go to a general practitioner to check your blood cholesterol level so that the doctor can prescribe you a cholesterol test.... After the test result is known, if your cholesterol level is very high and you cannot reduce it by changing your lifestyle, it is better to see an internist.
Reasons of high cholesterol in blood test
Obesity, inactivity and improper diet are the main causes of cholesterol increase.... But some people have high cholesterol genetically and should be under the supervision of a specialist doctor.... In addition to the above, some diseases cause an increase in blood cholesterol... including:
It should be noted that some medications such as anabolic steroids, beta blockers, epinephrine, birth control pills, blood pressure medications, acne and heart arrhythmia pills can increase blood cholesterol levels. So, if you want to do a cholesterol test, be sure to inform your doctor about this.>
Learn more: Triglyceride test
What is the result of normal cholesterol test?
Cholesterol level in blood test depends on the age, gender and general health status of the person.... However, in general, the recommended range of total cholesterol for adults is as follows:
Interpretation of cholesterol in blood test
To measure cholesterol in blood tests, they use the unit of milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter (dL). In the table below, you can learn more about the interpretation of cholesterol test results:
The American Heart Association (AHA) considers a triglyceride level of 100 mg/dL or less to be optimal. This optimal level can improve your heart health. However, the AHA does not recommend drug therapy to achieve this level. Triglyceride can be easily reduced through lifestyle changes.
Learn more: What is LDL in a blood test?
If the result of your blood test shows a high cholesterol level, do not despair.... You can reduce your cholesterol level by changing your lifestyle such as quitting smoking, exercising and having a healthy diet.... If these changes are not enough, the doctor will use drug treatments.... It should be noted that you should consult with internal specialists to choose the best method to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Learn more: What is HDL in a blood test?
Cholesterol in women's blood test
The hormone estrogen increases the level of HDL cholesterol in women... Therefore, cholesterol is often high during pregnancy... Therefore, pregnant women should wait at least 6 months after giving birth and then have a blood cholesterol test..
If you are a woman and you have a high triglyceride level, it is better to consult a gynecologist first... Most women who are prone to heart diseases and have high LDL levels usually need cholesterol-lowering drugs... Also, with menopause, women's cholesterol levels may change... so it is better to do cholesterol tests regularly>..
Learn more: RDW in blood test
Under what circumstances is cholesterol checked in children's blood tests?
A 2-year-old child may have high cholesterol, but not all children are at risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends cholesterol testing only for children 2 to 10 years of age who have a family history of high cholesterol or early coronary artery disease.If you have a family history of coronary artery disease, your doctor may recommend more frequent tests. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that this test is necessary for children who do not have a family history of high cholesterol, but are at risk for risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
What can we do to reduce the cholesterol level in the blood test?
The first way to lower high cholesterol levels is to change your lifestyle....Obesity is one of the risk factors for high cholesterol and heart disease....Doctors usually first recommend that you lose weight by cutting calories, following a diet and exercising....Other helpful recommendations for lowering blood cholesterol levels in this test include the following:
However, if blood cholesterol levels are still high, cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins are prescribed.
Guide to see a doctor
To evaluate the level of cholesterol in a blood test, you must fast for about 12 hours to get accurate results.... With the help of the blood cholesterol test result, the doctor can measure the general state of blood fat and check the possibility of cardiovascular diseases in a person..
You can visit the website GCORP LLC and consult with the best specialist doctors including internists online.... Also, GCORP LLC provides you with the possibility to make an appointment with the specialist you want through the online appointment system for face-to-face internist consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of cholesterol in a blood test?This blood factor in a blood test measures the amount of cholesterol and specific fats in the blood.
How much cholesterol should be in a blood test?The amount of cholesterol in a blood test is less than 20 ml?. deciliter (mg/dl)...
Is cholesterol above 200 dangerous?Yes.... This number indicates high cholesterol in the blood and the person should be under the supervision of a specialist doctor.
Is it possible that the result of the cholesterol test is wrong?Some factors such as not fasting, taking certain drugs or human error may cause errors.. Accurate.
Sources: clevelandclinic | medlineplus
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