If you know the patient’s cholesterol level, it is advisable to consider the results in terms of the cholesterol ratio along with the total amount of cholesterol found in the blood. This is to be done because the different elements play very various roles in the formation and creation of cholesterol in the arteries. Understanding of the basics of their concentrations relative to one another and to the total cholesterol present can provide a more precise indication of a patient’s risk of developing heart associated problems.
What are cholesterol numbers and ratio?
General blood cholesterol tests are able to recognize and measure the concentrations of three different types of cholesterol in the blood, namely:: LDL? (low density lipoprotein cholesterol), HDLC (high density lipoprotein cholesterol), and VLDLC (very low density lipoprotein cholesterol).
Measurement value of their levels is estimated in milligrams/deciliter and the concentration of each of these determines the corresponding cholesterol numbers, and the total is equal to the sum of all three types. Test results are often presented in terms of a total cholesterol number and a cholesterol ratio representing either Total/HDLC or LDLC/HDLC.
Let’s see in details the types of cholesterols. Low-density LDL cholesterol, also known among people as “bad” cholesterol, is strongly linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. Raised levels of both LDLC and VLDLC in the blood may serve as a reason for a buildup of plaque along artery walls, and consequently causing them over time to narrow and harden (this disease is called atherosclerosis).
On the other hand, the higher-density HDL cholesterol fights against their “brothers” in the following manner: it picks up excess LDLC and VLDLC that have accumulated both in the blood and along arterial walls. That’s why folks call it “good” cholesterol and it is no wonder that it is one of the cholesterol numbers we’d like to keep as high as possible. With high HDL?, your Total/HDL? and LDL?/HDL? cholesterol ratios will remain as low as possible, and this all will significantly lower the risk of the development of coronary heart disease.
How to preserve healthy cholesterol levels?
For the sake of better understanding of the cholesterol profile results and maintain healthy cholesterol levels, physicians have developed guidelines for cholesterol numbers.
For total cholesterol, the numbers less than 200 mg/dl is optimal, and the total level should not raise upper than 240 mg/dl in order to avoid the risk of various heart diseases. For LDLC, less than 100 mg/dl is good, and the total level should be kept below 160 mg/dl.
And finally, an optimal HDL cholesterol level value is set above 60 mg/dl, and should be sustained above 40 mg/dl for men and above 50 mg/dl for women to avoid excessive LDLC accumulation in the blood and along the artery walls.
These figures can be used as a guideline to determine healthy cholesterol ratios as well. Let’s see: patient who has total cholesterol number 200, LDLC number 100, and HDLC number 60 has a Total/HDL cholesterol ratio of 200/60 and an LDLC/HDLC ratio of 100/60. This allows to identify an optimal Total/HDLC ratio of about 3.3:1 and an optimal LDLC/HDLC ratio of about 1.7:1.
It is extremely important to maintain and preserve healthy cholesterol levels in order to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and avoid many problems associated with it in future. This means that you should have your cholesterol level checked on the regular basis to see where you stand. In the long run, your health depends on it!
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Zetia, recognized by the generic ezetimibe, is a medicinal drug that assists decrease cholesterol soaked up by the body. Zetia is a good supplement suggested for use even when associated with a healthy diet or even when diet and physical exercise aren’t sufficient.