Who should get their cholesterol checked?
It is recommended by the National
Cholesterol Education Program that everyone age 20 and older
have their cholesterol measured approximately every 5 years.
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How can I get my cholesterol checked?
Cholesterol tests are blood tests.
If you want a test, make an appointment at the
Health and
Wellness Center. We can draw your blood here at the Health and
Wellness Center. Your blood sample will be
sent to an outside laboratory for processing.
It is ideal to have a fasting lipid profile
performed. A fasting lipid profile measures total
cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. This
is especially recommended if you have a strong family history of high
cholesterol or heart disease.
If it is
not possible to have a fasting lipid profile performed, a reasonable
alternative would be to measure your total
cholesterol and/or your HDL cholesterol. These tests do not have to be
performed fasting.
If you are planning to get the fasting lipid
profile performed,
please make sure you have fasted for at least 9 hours before
having your blood drawn.
There are fees for these tests. You may want to
check with your health insurance company beforehand to find out if this test will be covered by your plan.
Fasting lipid profile: (includes
Total
cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides):
$48.00*
Total cholesterol:$12.00*
HDL cholesterol: $22.00*
*Please note: Prices are subject to
change.
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I've had my cholesterol checked. What do
these numbers mean?
Your health care provider can help you identify
your risk of coronary heart disease based upon your cholesterol level,
medical history, and any major risk factors.
You can calculate your ten-year risk
risk of having a heart attack if you know your total cholesterol,
LDL cholesterol, and your systolic blood pressure (top number in a
blood pressure reading) using a the National Cholesterol Educations
Program's Risk
Assessment tool.
| Total cholesterol |
| Less than 200 mg/dl |
Desirable |
| Greater than 200 mg/dl |
High |
| LDL Cholesterol |
| Less than 100 mg/dl |
Optimal |
| 100-129 mg/dl |
Near optimal |
| 130-159 mg/dl |
Borderline High |
| Greater than 160 mg/dl |
High |
| HDL Cholesterol |
| >40 |
Optimal |
| <40 |
Low |
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Isn't there a "good cholesterol"
and a "bad cholesterol"?
Yes.
| LDL (low density
lipoprotein) cholesterol is the "BAD" cholesterol. This type of cholesterol is the main cause of
blockage and buildup in the arteries. Ideally, you want your LDL
cholesterol level to be low. |
 |
| HDL (high density
lipoprotein) cholesterol is the "GOOD" cholesterol. This protects against heart disease. You want your
HDL cholesterol number to be high (above 40 mg/dl). |
 |
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How can I lower my LDL (bad cholesterol) and
raise my HDL (good cholesterol)?
-
Dietary
Changes
-
Follow
a low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet. Less than
7% of your calories should come from saturated fat. Aim for less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol a day.
-
Increase
amounts of viscous soluble fiber (found in fruits,
vegetables, beans, and grains) and foods with plant stanols/sterols.
This may help lower LDL cholesterol.
-
Start
cooking healthy nutritious meals. You can download "Heart
healthy" recipes from the National Cholesterol
Education Program
-
Exercise
-
Be
more physically active! Exercising 30 minutes a day several times a week is
recommended. Brisk walking for 30 minutes is a great form of
exercise. This can help raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol
levels.
-
Lose
weight (if you are overweight)
-
Medications
Cholesterol
lowering medications may be prescribed by your health care
provider if necessary. This is adjunctive therapy to dietary
changes and exercise.
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What foods are low in saturated fat?
Lean meats, fish,
skinless poultry, whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables, 1% dairy
products
Additional dietary
tips:
-
Use cooking oils that
contain polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (i.e olive and
canola oil).
-
Choose soft tub
margarines over stick margarines or butter.
-
Cut down on foods high in cholesterol (i.e.
liver, egg yolks, full-fat dairy products)
-
Choose chicken or fish
over red meat
-
Cut down on processed
baked goods (i.e crackers, cookies) which contain partially
hydrogenated fats
-
Read your food labels!
Remember that there is hidden fat in cheese, luncheon meats,
chips, etc.
-
At fast food
restaurants, choose broiled chicken over fried foods or
hamburgers. Remove the skin from your chicken before eating.
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Where can I get more information?
High
Blood Cholesterol: What you need to know
Helpful
cholesterol information provided by the National Cholesterol Education
Program
What
is your risk of having a heart attack? Interactive tool for
assessing your ten year risk of having a heart attack.
Live
Healthier, Live Longer
Interactive
website offering cholesterol lowering information
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References:
Third Report of the National Cholesterol
Education Program: Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment
of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III),
Executive Summary. May 2001
Rader DJ. Management of
selected lipid abnormalities: hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL
cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), in thyroid and renal disease, and post
transplantation. Cardiol Clin. 2001;19(2):311-325.
Braunstein JB. Lipid
disorders: justification of methods and goals of treatment. Chest.
2001;120(3):979-88.
last updated
11/29/2006
