Reading Up On The Normal Cholesterol Level
When a doctor asks for a cholesterol laboratory test, the results usually come in a small piece of paper with normal cholesterol level numbers printed under each type of cholesterol being tested. The numbers are calculated in milligrams for every decilitre of blood taken. When the doctor analyzes the normal level of cholesterol in numbers, he does not just usually looks at the lowered numbers of cholesterol; he has to compare the results with each other and previous blood tests taken for the same patient. With the comparison at hand, the doctor has to make a strategy on how to approach the patient’s condition, if an improvement is noticeable, if it is stagnating or decreasing.
There are three things that are tested: the ‘total cholesterol’ = <200 mg/dL, ‘LDL cholesterol’ = <130 mg/dL, the ‘HDL ‘= >40 – <>60 mg/dL and ‘VLDL or triglycerides = <150 mg/dL. Notice the numbers of HDL: they should be within that range and if on the lower end, it should increase. This is very important as this is a safety net for your body.
With the numbers, one can calculate the ‘normal cholesterol ratio’. This ratio is more important than a normal cholesterol level indicated. Make a total between ‘total cholesterol’ numbers and the low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol numbers, and then divide it by that of the high density lipoprotein (HDL).
If the numbers are low, like below 4, then that is good. If they go lower to say 2.5, that is wonderful. If they are above 4, then you are in for the hospital haul. This ratio will be that safety net we were talking about earlier. This is a prediction of heart attack and it is usually very accurate.
People generally think that they should just lower their high cholesterol levels to reach the normal cholesterol level of their choice. Not so. Do not make the mistaken assumption that if the numbers of cholesterol have gone down you are safe. When the HDL is low, that is bad news. This means there’s a more than half a chance of getting a coronary failure soon.
Some people may shrug it off and say that how to lower triglycerides is why there have been medications invented, to ensure that normal cholesterol level be achieved. That is a wrong approach, totally ignoramus. Even if there are medications, they are not nearly enough. If is still the diet and the exercise which will save the life, and as all doctors will tell us, the medicines can actually make things worse whether or not the normal cholesterol level is accomplished.
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