Cholesterol test
Cholesterol test - now at home: Our liver produces a fatty molecule called cholesterol, which is needed by the body to produce certain hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Even though our body needs specific amounts of cholesterol, too much of it is harmful for the body. It leads to heart diseases. Cholesterol is carried through the body by lipoproteins. There are two main types of lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). HDL is the good cholesterol, which helps LDL, the bad cholesterol to move away from the walls of the artery. LDL is harmful to the body as it sticks to the walls of the artery and leads to plaque build - up, called arteriosclerosis. There are cholesterol tests, which measure the level of cholesterol in the body, at home. These home cholesterol test kits have been available at pharmacies since 1993 and are very simple and effective to use.
Kit for cholesterol test: Nowadays, there are home kits used for cholesterol testing. This kit ensures that people get their cholesterol test done without having to wait for a doctor’s appointment or to go to the lab. The benefit of these home kits is that they are 95% accurate when they are used correctly. Also, they are easily available and quite inexpensive. There are also digital and VAP cholesterol test kits available in the market, which are much more accurate. They give LDL, HDL, triglycerides and glucose results.
Cholesterol test - more than just a blood test: A cholesterol test is more than just a regular blood test. While taking a cholesterol test, care has to be taken before the blood is drawn from the body. It is suggested that everybody after the age of 20 should take a cholesterol or lipoprotein profile once every 5 years. The test should be taken after fasting for 12 hours, without the intake of food, liquid or any medication. This gives a more accurate blood fasting result.
How to interpret Cholesterol test results: The results of your cholesterol test depend on whether or not you have taken a fasting cholesterol test. If not, the results will not be so accurate, but that doesn't mean they are not useful. They just give information on the total cholesterol level and not LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which is more important.
You need to know how to interpret the cholesterol test results…
| Total Cholesterol level | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Less than 200mg/dL | less likely to have heart disease.
Desirable level |
| 200 to 239mg/dL | Borderline – high |
| 240mg/dL and more | Very susceptible to heart disease with high cholesterol level. |
| HDL cholesterol level | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Less than 40mg/dL (men) | Low HDL, high risk for heart disease td> |
| Less than 50mg/dL (women) 60mg/dL and more | High HDL is good, it protects against heart disease. |
People need to understand that just because they have taken a cholesterol test, they are not entirely safe. In case their test results are less than satisfactory and indicate danger, it is necessary to go to a physician. It is very important to identify the need of cholesterol tests. More and more people are suffering from heart diseases because of cholesterol and stress, which is the result of the lifestyle we follow. We can prevent cholesterol from taking over our lives by eating healthy and taking regular tests.