Cholesterol levels
Your healthcare provider may recommend checking your cholesterol levels with a test called a lipid panel or lipid profile. This test can be performed by drawing blood, or by getting a small blood sample from a finger stick. A lipid panel usually shows the total cholesterol level, levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), as well as triglycerides, which are the fats in the bloodstream. It may give other cholesterol numbers or ratios, also. Your provider can use these to help determine your risk of conditions such as heart disease.
Recommended cholesterol levels vary depending on a person’s other risk factors (age, gender, smoking status, blood pressure, etc.). In general, however, the recommended total cholesterol level is below 200 mg/dl. Levels of 200-239 mg/dl would qualify as borderline high, having some increased risk over the normal level, while 240mg/dl and above is high cholesterol, and can more than double a person’s risk of serious health problems like heart disease.
LDL, or low density lipoprotein, carries the “bad” cholesterol through the bloodstream. Most people should strive for levels below 100 mg/dl, although a healthcare provider may recommend even lower levels if a person has high risk for heart disease or stroke, or conditions that raise this risk, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Higher levels may allow the LDL to collect along blood vessel walls, increasing the risk of a clog or blockage that may lead to a heart attack or stroke.
HDL, or high density lipoprotein, carries the “good” cholesterol through the bloodstream. It is different from the other types of cholesterol, in that higher numbers seem to be better for health. Most people should try to get their HDL levels above 40 mg/dl, and higher if possible. This seems to protect against conditions such as heart disease, since this protein seems to carry cholesterol away from the blood vessels. Levels below 40mg/dl in men and below 50mg/dl in women are considered “low HDL,” and seem to carry a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
Triglycerides are the major fat in the body and blood, and they can come from foods or from the body itself. Triglycerides are part of the body’s fuel sources, which can be broken down to release these fatty particles into the bloodstream, where they are available for quick energy. High levels of triglycerides can be harmful, however, and seem to correlate with higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Most people should have triglyceride levels below 150 mg/dl. Factors like age, weight, and diet can affect triglyceride levels. If you have eaten right before checking your cholesterol levels, this will raise triglycerides, also. For this reason, providers recommend fasting (nothing to eat or drink) for about 8 hours before checking lipid profiles in order to get the most accurate results.
New guidelines from medical associations are published every few years that reassess the recommended cholesterol levels for patients, so these recommended numbers may change over time (this article correct as of August 2010) . A person’s individual recommended levels will vary depending on their other risks, also, so consult a healthcare provider for the exact recommendations for a specific person’s case.
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