What does a cholesterol level of 234 mg/dL indicate. How can you lower borderline high cholesterol naturally. What are the risks associated with elevated cholesterol levels. When should you consider medication for borderline high cholesterol.

Decoding Your Cholesterol Numbers: What 234 mg/dL Means

A cholesterol reading of 234 mg/dL falls into the category of borderline high cholesterol. This level is above the desirable range but not yet in the high-risk category. To fully understand what this number means for your health, it’s crucial to break down the components of a cholesterol test.

Components of a Cholesterol Test

• Total Cholesterol
• Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) – “Bad” Cholesterol
• High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) – “Good” Cholesterol
• Triglycerides

Your total cholesterol of 234 mg/dL provides an overall picture, but understanding the individual components is key to assessing your cardiovascular risk.

Interpreting Cholesterol Levels

Here’s a breakdown of cholesterol ranges:

• Desirable: Less than 200 mg/dL
• Borderline High: 200-239 mg/dL
• High Risk: 240 mg/dL and above

With a reading of 234 mg/dL, you’re in the borderline high category. This indicates an increased risk for heart disease compared to those with desirable levels, but not as high as those in the high-risk category.

The Silent Nature of High Cholesterol: Why Regular Testing Matters

High cholesterol often doesn’t present noticeable symptoms, earning it the moniker “silent killer.” This lack of obvious signs underscores the importance of regular cholesterol testing.

Frequency of Cholesterol Tests

How often should you get your cholesterol checked? For adults with no risk factors, every 5 years is typically recommended. However, if you have borderline high cholesterol or other risk factors, your doctor may suggest more frequent testing.

The Dangers of Undetected High Cholesterol

Elevated cholesterol levels can lead to the buildup of plaque in your arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This narrowing of the arteries can result in serious cardiovascular issues if left unchecked.

Lifestyle Modifications: Your First Line of Defense Against Borderline High Cholesterol

For many individuals with borderline high cholesterol, lifestyle changes can be an effective first step in lowering cholesterol levels. These modifications can often bring cholesterol back into the desirable range without the need for medication.

Dietary Changes to Lower Cholesterol

Making changes to your diet is one of the most impactful ways to lower cholesterol naturally. Consider incorporating these strategies:

• Increase fiber intake through whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
• Choose lean proteins and limit red meat consumption
• Incorporate heart-healthy fats like those found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts
• Reduce intake of saturated and trans fats

The Role of Exercise in Cholesterol Management

Regular physical activity can help improve your cholesterol profile by raising HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.

Understanding LDL and HDL: The Good, The Bad, and Your Heart Health

While your total cholesterol of 234 mg/dL provides valuable information, understanding the balance between LDL and HDL cholesterol is crucial for assessing your overall cardiovascular risk.

LDL Cholesterol: The “Bad” Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to the buildup of plaque in your arteries. Current guidelines focus on reducing LDL levels by a certain percentage based on your overall risk, rather than aiming for specific target numbers.

HDL Cholesterol: The “Good” Cholesterol

HDL cholesterol is considered “good” because it helps remove excess cholesterol from your bloodstream. Higher levels of HDL are generally associated with lower cardiovascular risk. For men, HDL levels below 40 mg/dL are considered high risk, while for women, the high-risk threshold is below 50 mg/dL.

Weight Management and Its Impact on Cholesterol Levels

Maintaining a healthy weight is an essential component of managing cholesterol levels. Excess weight, particularly around the midsection, can contribute to higher LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol.

Strategies for Healthy Weight Loss

If you’re carrying extra weight, losing even a modest amount can have a positive impact on your cholesterol levels. Consider these strategies:

• Practice portion control
• Choose nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods
• Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine
• Stay hydrated
• Get adequate sleep

The Connection Between Belly Fat and Cholesterol

Visceral fat, the type that accumulates around your organs in your abdominal area, is particularly harmful when it comes to cholesterol and heart health. Reducing this type of fat through diet and exercise can significantly improve your cholesterol profile.

The Role of Genetics in Cholesterol Levels: Nature vs. Nurture

While lifestyle factors play a significant role in determining cholesterol levels, genetics also contribute to your overall cholesterol profile. Some individuals may have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, a condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia.

Familial Hypercholesterolemia: When Genetics Play a Major Role

Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited disorder that affects the body’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol from the blood. Individuals with this condition may have very high LDL levels despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Balancing Genetic Factors with Lifestyle Modifications

Even if you have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, lifestyle changes can still make a significant impact. In some cases, a combination of lifestyle modifications and medication may be necessary to manage cholesterol levels effectively.

Medication Options for Managing Borderline High Cholesterol

While lifestyle changes are often the first line of defense against borderline high cholesterol, some individuals may require medication to bring their levels into a healthy range. The decision to start medication depends on various factors, including your overall cardiovascular risk.

Statins: The Most Common Cholesterol-Lowering Medications

Statins are the most widely prescribed class of cholesterol-lowering drugs. They work by blocking a substance your body needs to make cholesterol, effectively lowering LDL levels and slightly raising HDL levels.

Other Medication Options

In addition to statins, other medications that may be prescribed for cholesterol management include:

• Bile acid sequestrants
• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors
• PCSK9 inhibitors
• Fibrates
• Niacin

Your doctor will consider your individual needs and potential side effects when recommending a medication regimen.

Monitoring Progress: The Importance of Follow-Up Testing

Once you’ve implemented lifestyle changes or started medication to address your borderline high cholesterol, regular follow-up testing is crucial to monitor your progress and adjust your treatment plan if necessary.

Frequency of Follow-Up Tests

The frequency of follow-up cholesterol tests will depend on your individual situation. Initially, your doctor may recommend testing every 3-6 months to assess the effectiveness of your treatment plan. Once your levels stabilize, you may be able to test less frequently.

Interpreting Changes in Your Cholesterol Levels

When reviewing follow-up test results, consider these questions:

• Has your total cholesterol decreased from the initial 234 mg/dL reading?
• Have your LDL levels decreased?
• Have your HDL levels increased?
• Have your triglyceride levels improved?

Your doctor will help you interpret these changes and determine if any adjustments to your treatment plan are necessary.

Beyond Cholesterol: Other Factors Affecting Heart Health

While managing your cholesterol is important, it’s just one piece of the cardiovascular health puzzle. Other factors that contribute to heart disease risk include:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Lack of physical activity
• Obesity
• Poor diet
• Stress

The Importance of a Holistic Approach to Heart Health

Addressing all of these risk factors in conjunction with managing your cholesterol can significantly reduce your overall risk of heart disease. Work with your healthcare provider to develop a comprehensive plan that takes all these factors into account.

Advanced Testing Options

In some cases, your doctor may recommend advanced testing to get a more detailed picture of your cardiovascular health. One such test is the coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan, which can detect the presence of plaque in your heart’s arteries.

By understanding the significance of your 234 mg/dL cholesterol reading and taking proactive steps to manage it, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. Remember, small changes can lead to big improvements in your cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. Work closely with your healthcare provider to develop and maintain a plan that works for you.

What It Is and What to Do About It

Written by Jodi Helmer

• Cholesterol Tests
• Make Changes in the Kitchen
• Read Food Labels
• Get Moving
• Lose Extra Weight
• Quit Smoking
• Check to See What’s Working
• More

Has your doctor told you that you have “borderline” high cholesterol? That means your cholesterol level is above normal but not quite in the “high” range.

You have borderline high cholesterol if your total cholesterol is between 200 and 239 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

Your doctor will also consider other things, like how much of your total cholesterol is LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and how much of it is HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Making simple changes in your lifestyle is often enough to bring borderline cholesterol levels down to the normal range. Some people may also need to take medicine for it. And keep in mind that other things, like diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking, also affect your heart health; it’s not just about cholesterol.

If you have borderline cholesterol, your doctor will decide whether you need treatment by looking at these and other risk factors for heart disease. They may ask you to get an imaging test of your heart called a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan. This test reveals whether dangerous plaque has built up in your heart’s arteries.

You won’t know you have borderline cholesterol unless you get a cholesterol blood test. You should do that every 5 years.

The average American has a total cholesterol level of 200, which is in the borderline range.

You can turn it around before you get high cholesterol. Start with these steps.

Why Do I Need a Cholesterol Test?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance. Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. But you take in more cholesterol from certain foods, such as those from animals. If you have too much cholesterol in your body, it can build up in the walls of your arteries (as “plaque”) and eventually harden. This process, called atherosclerosis, actually narrows the arteries, making it harder for blood to travel through them. 

Unfortunately, high cholesterol doesn’t cause symptoms. In later stages of atherosclerosis, though, you may have angina – severe chest pain from lack of blood flow to the heart. If an artery gets totally blocked, a heart attack results. A routine blood cholesterol test is a far better way of finding out what your cholesterol level is.

What Does a Cholesterol Test Measure?

In addition to measuring the total cholesterol in your blood, the standard cholesterol test (called a “lipid panel”) measures three specific kinds of fat:

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL). This is the “bad cholesterol,” the main cause of plaque buildup, which increases your risk of heart disease. In general, the lower the number, the better. But LDL cholesterol is only one part of a larger equation that measures a person’s overall risk of having a heart attack or stroke.  

For years, guidelines focused on specific target numbers for people to achieve to lower their risk. The most recent guidelines focus on a person’s overall risk and, based on that risk, recommend a certain percentage of LDL reduction as one part of a way to prevent serious heart and blood vessel problems.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL). This is the “good cholesterol.” It transports bad cholesterol from the blood to the liver, where it is excreted by the body. Your HDL is another part of the equation that identifies the risk of a cardiovascular event. In general, the higher the number the better, although, as with LDL, the emphasis has shifted from specific target numbers to ways to reduce the overall risk.

Triglycerides. Another type of fat in the bloodstream, triglycerides are also linked to heart disease. They are stored in fat cells throughout the body.

What Do Cholesterol Test Numbers Mean?

If you have a lipoprotein profile, it’s important to look at all the numbers from the cholesterol test, not just the total cholesterol number. That’s because LDL and HDL levels are two top signs of potential heart disease. Use the information below to interpret your results (with the help of your doctor, of course). This will help you get a better idea about your risk for heart disease.

Total blood cholesterol level:

• High risk: 240 mg/dL and above
• Borderline high risk: 200-239 mg/dL
• Desirable: Less than 200 mg/dL

LDL cholesterol levels:

190 mg/dL and above represents a high risk for heart disease and is a strong sign that you can benefit from intensive treatment, including lifestyle changes, diet, and statin therapy for reducing that risk.

For LDL levels that are equal to or less than 189 mg/dL, the guidelines recommend strategies for lowering LDL by 30% to 50%, depending on what other risk factors you have that can affect the health of your heart and blood vessels.

HDL cholesterol:

• High risk: Less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women

Triglycerides:

• Very high risk: 500 mg/dL and above
• High risk: 200-499 mg/dL
• Borderline high risk: 150-199 mg/dL
• Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL

Use your diet to help lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol.

For the biggest impact, choose foods that are low in saturated fats and trans fats, and high in fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Whole grains, beans, apples, pears, oatmeal, salmon, walnuts, and olive oil are excellent heart-healthy choices.

Here are some more diet tips to help you lower your cholesterol:

Make meat lean. Cut back on red meats that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and choose only lean meats with very little visible fat. Examples of lean beef include London broil, eye of round, and filet mignon. Avoid processed meats like bacon and sausage, which are linked to higher odds of heart disease and diabetes.

Remove skin from poultry. That’s where much of the fat is.

Eat more seafood. It usually has less fat than other meat. The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, or mackerel) each week for heart health. Those fish are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for you.

Limit saturated fat. These are found in whole-fat dairy products, mayonnaise, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils or fats (such as stick margarine). These products may also contain trans fats, which can raise your cholesterol level.

Go liquid. For cooking, replace saturated fats that are solid at room temperature (such as butter and shortening) with liquid monounsaturated fats such as olive, canola, and flaxseed oils. There’s evidence that eating moderate amounts of monounsaturated fat – found in such foods as nuts, seeds, and avocados – may lower LDL cholesterol.

Add fiber with plant foods. Good sources include grapefruit, apples, beans and other legumes, barley, carrots, cabbage, and oatmeal.

Get two daily servings of plant sterol-rich foods. These foods, such as nuts, can help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are also added to some soft margarines, granola bars, yogurts, and orange juice.

You need to know how much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol are in your favorite foods. That can help you make better choices.

Too much saturated fat can drive up your cholesterol level. It’s found mostly in animal products. Cholesterol also is found in animal products. Your doctor or a dietitian can let you know what your daily limit should be.

Artificial trans fats can raise your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. They’re in packaged foods, like some crackers, cookies, pastries, and microwave popcorn.

Check the nutrition label. And because products marked “0 grams” of trans fats per serving can have up to a gram of trans fats, check the ingredients label, too. Anything marked “partially hydrogenated” is trans fat.

Exercise helps you get your cholesterol down from the borderline range.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, per day (150 minutes each week). You can also do a more intense workout for 75 minutes a week.

Taking a walk, riding your bike, playing a team sport, or taking a group fitness class will increase your heart rate while raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Push yourself, if you can, but keep in mind that moderate exercise is better than none at all.

You can have borderline high cholesterol and be at a healthy weight. But if you’re overweight, losing those extra pounds can help bring your cholesterol level back down.

Losing as little as 5% of your body weight can lower your cholesterol levels. One study found that adults who took part in a 12-week exercise program lowered their LDL by 18 points, and their total cholesterol dropped 26 points.

With a combination of weight loss and a healthy diet, it’s possible to lower LDL levels up to 30% – results that are similar to taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.

If you’re not sure whether your weight is in a healthy place, ask your doctor to check your body mass index (BMI). A normal BMI is 18 to 25. If your BMI is 25 or higher, ask your doctor for advice on the best types of physical activity for you.

If you smoke, kicking the habit can help raise your HDL (“good”) cholesterol up to 10%.

Have you tried to quit smoking before? For many people, it takes a couple of tries. Keep trying until it sticks. It’s worth it, for your whole body’s health.

During regular screening appointments, your doctor will check your cholesterol levels to see if the changes you’ve made have gotten you to your cholesterol goal.

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to lower borderline high cholesterol, your doctor may talk to you about medication.

Top Picks

What It Is and What to Do About It

Written by Jodi Helmer

• Cholesterol Tests
• Make Changes in the Kitchen
• Read Food Labels
• Get Moving
• Lose Extra Weight
• Quit Smoking
• Check to See What’s Working
• More

Has your doctor told you that you have “borderline” high cholesterol? That means your cholesterol level is above normal but not quite in the “high” range.

You have borderline high cholesterol if your total cholesterol is between 200 and 239 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

Your doctor will also consider other things, like how much of your total cholesterol is LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and how much of it is HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Making simple changes in your lifestyle is often enough to bring borderline cholesterol levels down to the normal range. Some people may also need to take medicine for it. And keep in mind that other things, like diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking, also affect your heart health; it’s not just about cholesterol.

If you have borderline cholesterol, your doctor will decide whether you need treatment by looking at these and other risk factors for heart disease. They may ask you to get an imaging test of your heart called a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan. This test reveals whether dangerous plaque has built up in your heart’s arteries.

You won’t know you have borderline cholesterol unless you get a cholesterol blood test. You should do that every 5 years.

The average American has a total cholesterol level of 200, which is in the borderline range.

You can turn it around before you get high cholesterol. Start with these steps.

Why Do I Need a Cholesterol Test?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance. Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. But you take in more cholesterol from certain foods, such as those from animals. If you have too much cholesterol in your body, it can build up in the walls of your arteries (as “plaque”) and eventually harden. This process, called atherosclerosis, actually narrows the arteries, making it harder for blood to travel through them. 

Unfortunately, high cholesterol doesn’t cause symptoms. In later stages of atherosclerosis, though, you may have angina – severe chest pain from lack of blood flow to the heart. If an artery gets totally blocked, a heart attack results. A routine blood cholesterol test is a far better way of finding out what your cholesterol level is.

What Does a Cholesterol Test Measure?

In addition to measuring the total cholesterol in your blood, the standard cholesterol test (called a “lipid panel”) measures three specific kinds of fat:

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL). This is the “bad cholesterol,” the main cause of plaque buildup, which increases your risk of heart disease. In general, the lower the number, the better. But LDL cholesterol is only one part of a larger equation that measures a person’s overall risk of having a heart attack or stroke. 

For years, guidelines focused on specific target numbers for people to achieve to lower their risk. The most recent guidelines focus on a person’s overall risk and, based on that risk, recommend a certain percentage of LDL reduction as one part of a way to prevent serious heart and blood vessel problems.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL). This is the “good cholesterol.” It transports bad cholesterol from the blood to the liver, where it is excreted by the body. Your HDL is another part of the equation that identifies the risk of a cardiovascular event. In general, the higher the number the better, although, as with LDL, the emphasis has shifted from specific target numbers to ways to reduce the overall risk.

Triglycerides. Another type of fat in the bloodstream, triglycerides are also linked to heart disease. They are stored in fat cells throughout the body.

What Do Cholesterol Test Numbers Mean?

If you have a lipoprotein profile, it’s important to look at all the numbers from the cholesterol test, not just the total cholesterol number. That’s because LDL and HDL levels are two top signs of potential heart disease. Use the information below to interpret your results (with the help of your doctor, of course). This will help you get a better idea about your risk for heart disease.

Total blood cholesterol level:

• High risk: 240 mg/dL and above
• Borderline high risk: 200-239 mg/dL
• Desirable: Less than 200 mg/dL

LDL cholesterol levels:

190 mg/dL and above represents a high risk for heart disease and is a strong sign that you can benefit from intensive treatment, including lifestyle changes, diet, and statin therapy for reducing that risk.

For LDL levels that are equal to or less than 189 mg/dL, the guidelines recommend strategies for lowering LDL by 30% to 50%, depending on what other risk factors you have that can affect the health of your heart and blood vessels.

HDL cholesterol:

• High risk: Less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women

Triglycerides:

• Very high risk: 500 mg/dL and above
• High risk: 200-499 mg/dL
• Borderline high risk: 150-199 mg/dL
• Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL

Use your diet to help lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol.

For the biggest impact, choose foods that are low in saturated fats and trans fats, and high in fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Whole grains, beans, apples, pears, oatmeal, salmon, walnuts, and olive oil are excellent heart-healthy choices.

Here are some more diet tips to help you lower your cholesterol:

Make meat lean. Cut back on red meats that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and choose only lean meats with very little visible fat. Examples of lean beef include London broil, eye of round, and filet mignon. Avoid processed meats like bacon and sausage, which are linked to higher odds of heart disease and diabetes.

Remove skin from poultry. That’s where much of the fat is.

Eat more seafood. It usually has less fat than other meat. The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, or mackerel) each week for heart health. Those fish are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for you.

Limit saturated fat. These are found in whole-fat dairy products, mayonnaise, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils or fats (such as stick margarine). These products may also contain trans fats, which can raise your cholesterol level.

Go liquid. For cooking, replace saturated fats that are solid at room temperature (such as butter and shortening) with liquid monounsaturated fats such as olive, canola, and flaxseed oils. There’s evidence that eating moderate amounts of monounsaturated fat – found in such foods as nuts, seeds, and avocados – may lower LDL cholesterol.

Add fiber with plant foods. Good sources include grapefruit, apples, beans and other legumes, barley, carrots, cabbage, and oatmeal.

Get two daily servings of plant sterol-rich foods. These foods, such as nuts, can help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are also added to some soft margarines, granola bars, yogurts, and orange juice.

You need to know how much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol are in your favorite foods. That can help you make better choices.

Too much saturated fat can drive up your cholesterol level. It’s found mostly in animal products. Cholesterol also is found in animal products. Your doctor or a dietitian can let you know what your daily limit should be.

Artificial trans fats can raise your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. They’re in packaged foods, like some crackers, cookies, pastries, and microwave popcorn.

Check the nutrition label. And because products marked “0 grams” of trans fats per serving can have up to a gram of trans fats, check the ingredients label, too. Anything marked “partially hydrogenated” is trans fat.

Exercise helps you get your cholesterol down from the borderline range.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, per day (150 minutes each week). You can also do a more intense workout for 75 minutes a week.

Taking a walk, riding your bike, playing a team sport, or taking a group fitness class will increase your heart rate while raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Push yourself, if you can, but keep in mind that moderate exercise is better than none at all.

You can have borderline high cholesterol and be at a healthy weight. But if you’re overweight, losing those extra pounds can help bring your cholesterol level back down.

Losing as little as 5% of your body weight can lower your cholesterol levels. One study found that adults who took part in a 12-week exercise program lowered their LDL by 18 points, and their total cholesterol dropped 26 points.

With a combination of weight loss and a healthy diet, it’s possible to lower LDL levels up to 30% – results that are similar to taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.

If you’re not sure whether your weight is in a healthy place, ask your doctor to check your body mass index (BMI). A normal BMI is 18 to 25. If your BMI is 25 or higher, ask your doctor for advice on the best types of physical activity for you.

If you smoke, kicking the habit can help raise your HDL (“good”) cholesterol up to 10%.

Have you tried to quit smoking before? For many people, it takes a couple of tries. Keep trying until it sticks. It’s worth it, for your whole body’s health.

During regular screening appointments, your doctor will check your cholesterol levels to see if the changes you’ve made have gotten you to your cholesterol goal.

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to lower borderline high cholesterol, your doctor may talk to you about medication.

Top Picks

Total cholesterol conversion to mmol/l, µmol/l, mg/dl, mg/100ml, mg%, mg/l, µg/ml. Online calculator / converter of traditional units to SI units

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Synonym

cholesterol, cholesterol

Units

mmol/l, µmol/l, mg/dl, mg/100ml, mg%, mg/l, µg/ml

Cholesterol is a steroid with a secondary hydroxyl group at the C3 position. It is synthesized in many tissues, but predominantly in the liver and intestinal wall. Approximately three-quarters of cholesterol is synthesized by the body itself, and a quarter comes from food.

Cholesterol is synthesized throughout the body and is an essential component of cell membranes and lipoproteins; it is also a precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids.

Cholesterol is transported by two classes of lipoproteins (low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins), each of which plays an opposite role in the pathogenesis of lipid metabolism disorders.

Cholesterol measurement is used to screen for the risk of atherosclerosis, in the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies including elevated cholesterol levels and metabolic disorders of lipids and lipoproteins.

Readings from postprandial patients may be slightly lower than readings from fasted patients.

REFERENCE RANGE

National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP) recommendations

Clinical interpretation according to European Atherosclerosis Society guidelines

General cholesterol – conversion, conversion, recalculation of units of measurement from generally accepted or traditional units to SI units and vice versa mmol / l, μmol / l, mg / dl, mg / 100 ml, mg%, mg / l, μg / ml. Laboratory online calculator. Converting quantitative values ​​of laboratory test results from one unit of measure to another. Table with conversion factors for study results.

Clinical chemistry

If you have high cholesterol – RZD-Medicine, Orsk

What is cholesterol? Moreover, the cells of the body, especially the liver, produce it themselves, so cholesterol from food cannot harm us.

0003

So is cholesterol harmful or beneficial and is it worth fighting it?

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is really vital for a person. Cholesterol is part of the shell-membranes of all body cells, it is abundant in nervous tissue, cholesterol is necessary for the formation of many hormones.

But! The body itself produces cholesterol in quantities more than sufficient to meet its own needs. However, a person also receives cholesterol from food. When there is too much cholesterol in the body, first of all, in the blood of a person, then from a friend he turns into a mortal enemy.

How does cholesterol work when there is too much of it?

Excess cholesterol accumulates in the walls of blood vessels. Connective or, in other words, scar tissue grows around these deposits, and calcium deposits form. This forms an atherosclerotic plaque. It narrows the lumen of the vessel, reduces blood flow, and the attachment of a blood clot leads to its blockage.

When a vessel is blocked, the blood flow stops, and the tissue of the organ that fed this vessel gradually dies, without receiving oxygen and nutrients. If the blockage occurs in the heart, angina pectoris develops, and then myocardial infarction, if in the brain, a cerebral stroke.

Sometimes the vessels of the legs are affected, then the person experiences unbearable pain and often loses the ability to move. The first call signaling the risk of developing these diseases is high cholesterol.

Everyone over the age of 20 should know their cholesterol levels. To do this, you just need to regularly – at least once every few years – do a blood test for the level of total cholesterol and its content in various transport forms – lipoproteins.

What do the numbers in the analysis mean?

In the blood test you will see the level of cholesterol (Cholesterol), as well as other numbers. The fact is that in human blood, cholesterol is transported along with proteins, and such complexes are called lipoproteins.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and their very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) precursors are low in protein, large, and high in cholesterol and fat—triglycerides. Penetrating into the vessel wall, they transport excess cholesterol into the vascular cell. An increase in the level of these components in the blood leads to the early development of atherosclerosis.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are small in size and contain a different protein than LDL. Penetrating into the wall of the vessel, they capture cholesterol and carry it to the liver. The lower the HDL level, ie. cholesterol in “good” complexes, the higher the risk of atherosclerosis.

Optimal levels of cholesterol and related parameters in the blood:

Total cholesterol	< 5.0 mmol/l (190 mg/dl)
LDL cholesterol	< 3.0 mmol/L (115 mg/dL)
Triglycerides (major components of VLDL)	< 1. 7 mmol/l (150 mg/dl)

People who control their cholesterol have 30 to 40 percent fewer serious heart complications and 30 percent fewer deaths from any cause.

What to do if your blood cholesterol level is high?

Cholesterol can be reduced. To do this, you need to improve your lifestyle. Be physically active, eat right and stop smoking – it significantly increases the risk of atherosclerotic plaque formation.

First of all, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of solid animal fats, which simultaneously contain a lot of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, they are abundant in butter, fatty dairy products, fatty cheeses, rich pastries, fatty meat.

Fats should make up about 30 percent of the total caloric content of food, of which saturated – no more than 10 percent (1/3 of all fats), and 2/3 of fats – should come from the consumption of vegetable oils, fish oil. By following the rules below, you can achieve a 10-12 percent reduction in blood cholesterol levels.

Allowed number of eggs is two per week. But you will also get them as part of salads and pastries.

Eat more low-fat and low-cholesterol foods in your diet, especially low-fat dairy products.

Choose wholemeal bread, whole grain pasta, cereals cooked with water. Eat more vegetables and fruits.

For meat products, stop at chicken, turkey and veal. Before cooking, remove fat from meat, and skin from poultry.

Increase your consumption of fish, especially sea fish. It is better if fish is present in your diet daily.

Choose desserts without fat, cream and a lot of sugar. Stop for fruit salads and unsweetened jellies.

Eat more soluble fiber foods: oatmeal, apples, plums, berries, beans. They lower the level of cholesterol in the body and increase its excretion.

Eat the latest so-called “functional” foods containing plant sterols and stanols, which reduce intestinal absorption of cholesterol and reduce the “bad” form of LDL cholesterol by 10 to 15 percent.

Do not fry in oil: boil, stew, bake. Use cookware with a coating that does not require the addition of fat when cooking.

What if the diet doesn’t work?

If after 6 to 8 weeks of the diet your total cholesterol is less than 5 percent and your risk of atherosclerosis is still high, your doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medications.

Never self-medicate or fall for “miracle” nutritional supplements. The doctor can advise you on only one type of supplement – soluble fiber preparations. However, it is worth remembering that they only complement and enhance the effect of a properly formulated diet.

In Russia, no more than 5 percent of people know their own blood cholesterol level. For comparison: in the US and Europe, this figure is almost 80 percent.

Studies show that an average 10 percent reduction in cholesterol levels results in a 20 to 50 percent reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular disease and death from them.

Cardiologists around the world believe that every person over 20 years of age should know their cholesterol level.