LIPIDS TEST AND YOUR LIPIDS PROFILE MEAN

LIPIDS TEST AND YOUR LIPIDS PROFILE MEAN


This blood test measures the level of fats (lipids) in your blood. It is best to have a blood test called a “lipids profile” or a “lipoprotein profile” to find out your cholesterol and triglyceride numbers. After you eat, your body digests the fat in your food and releases it into your bloodstream in two forms, cholesterol and triglyceride. For the test , blood is drawn from a vein in your arm and sent to a laboratory where blood fats are measured. To get an accurate reading, it’s best to fast for at least 12 hours before blood is drawn.

People who don’t have diabetes should have a lipids test every 3 to 5 years – more often if their blood fat level are above normal or they have a family history of elevated blood fats. People with diabetes should have the test at least once a year. That’s because diabetes can accelerate the development of clogged and hardened arteries (atherosclerosis), which increased your risk of a heart attack, stroke and poor circulation in your feet and legs.

This blood test gives information about your total cholesterol level, LDL (bad) cholesterol level – the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries, HDL (good) cholesterol level– helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries, Triglycerides level – another form of fat in your blood. If it is not possible to get a lipid profile done, knowing your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol can give you a general idea about your cholesterol levels. If your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or more or if your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have a lipid profile done.

See how your cholesterol and triglyceride numbers compare to the values below, according to The National Cholesterol Education, a branch of The National Institutes of Health. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood.

Total Cholesterol level :
Lower than 200 mg/dL, your level mean is desirable
200 mg/dL – 239 mg/dL, your level mean is borderline high
240 mg/dL or higher, your level mean is high

LDL Cholesterol level :
Lower than 100 mg/dL, your level mean is optimal
100 mg/dL – 129 mg/dL, your level mean is near optimal
130 mg/dL – 159 mg/dL, your level mean is borderline high
160 mg/dL – 189 mg/dL, your level mean is high
190 mg/dL or higher, your level mean is very high

HDL Cholesterol level :
Lower than 40 mg/dL, your level mean is low
60 mg/dL or higher, your level mean is high

Triglicerides level :
Lower then 150 mg/dL, your level mean is normal
150 mg/dL – 199 mg/dL, your level mean is borderline high
200 mg/dL – 499 mg/dL, your level mean is high
500 mg/dL or higher, your level mean is very high

HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better. A level less than 40 mg/dL is low and is considered a major risk factor because it increases your risk for developing heart disease. HDL levels of 60 mg/dL or more help to lower your risk for heart disease. Triglycerides can also raise heart disease risk. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people. As you compare your numbers with these values, remember that numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Ask your doctor to interpret your test result.

A rising level of blood fats can alert your doctor to increased risk of blood vessel damage. Knowing your blood fat levels also helps your doctor determine if you could benefit from medication to lower your cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Diet and exercise are the first defenses against unhealthy blood fat levels, just as they are in managing diabetes. A cholesterol or triglyceride lowering medication may be prescribed if these steps aren’t effective or if your LDL or triglyceride levels are extremely high.

By Andi Surya Amal


References :
1. National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III,2002
2. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education an research (MFMER); What is a Lipid Test, 2003
3. National Cholesterol Education Program , a branch of The National Institutes of Health; High Blood Cholesterol What you need to know , November 2009
4. Reckless JPD, Diabetes and Lipids, Martin Dunitz Ltd, 1994, 11-18
5. Boh, L.E. 1996. Clinical Clerkship Manual. Applied Threpuetics, Inc. Washington, 5-33, 5-34, 5-36

Links to other articles :
1. What are Lipids ?
2. Clinical Laboratory Test of Lipoprotein Panel
3. My article in Bahasa