|
Cholesterol
Screening |
|
| |
| Pleasant Health
Services provides on-site portable cholesterol screening. Cholesterol screening does not take more than
5-7 minutes of your time and involves using
state-of-the-art machines approved by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). Our staff are clinically trained to perform cholesterol screening
and provide you with valid information related to your blood cholesterol.
Understanding the facts about cholesterol
will help you take better care of your heart and live a healthier life,
reducing your risk for heart attack and stroke. It is important
to note that the values of your cholesterol screening are useful for screening purposes only
and should not be used for clinical risk assessment or make clinical
decision. Clinical correlation of results and corroboration at an accredited
laboratory need to be done by a physician. It is your full responsibility to
initiate a follow-up examination with your primary care physician to confirm
impaired blood cholesterol, obtain
advice and/or treatment.
A consent and
release form must be read and signed by each individual wanting to take the
blood cholesterol screening. A children or minors must have their
parent/guardian sign the consent on their behalf.
To control your cholesterol, get
a cholesterol screening, eat foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol,
maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly and follow all your healthcare
professional's recommendations. |
| |
|
What is cholesterol
screening and testing? |
 |
|
What is LDL
cholesterol? |
|
What is HDL
cholesterol? |
|
What are
triglycerides? |
|
Cholesterol and diet? |
|
Cholesterol and physical
activity |
|
Cholesterol and tobacco smoking |
|
Cholesterol and alcohol drinking |
| |
| |
|
|
What is cholesterol screening & testing? |
|
Go
to top |
|
| Cholesterol is a
soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in
all your body's cells. It is an important part of a healthy body
because it is used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for
other functions. But a high level of cholesterol is the blood (known as
hypercholesterolemia) is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease,
which leads to heart attack.
Starting at age 20, everyone should have
their cholesterol checked annually. Children and teens who have a family
history of early heart disease or high cholesterol level should be screened
regularly.
Cholesterol screening can be done in two
ways: fasting or random. A fasting lipid profile (also called
lipoprotein profile) is a detailed blood test for cholesterol. You
will need to fast for 9-12 hours prior to the test. A random lipid test
requires no fasting. It is highly recommended for an individual to
fast prior to the test.
The cholesterol test includes:
-
LDL level - this is the "bad" cholesterol
that sticks to your arteries and can cause blockage.
-
HDL level - this is the "good" cholesterol
that helps to prevent build up in your arteries.
- Triglyceride level - this is another type
of fat in your blood that can lead to atheroaclerosis.
- Total cholesterol.
|
| |
|
What is LDL
Cholesterol? |
|
Go
to top |
|
| Low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) is know as the "bad cholesterol" and it is the
major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol
circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries
feeding the heart and brain.
It can then form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries.
This condition is known as atherosclerosis. A clot (thrombus) that
forms near this plaque can block the blood flow to part of the heart muscle
and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the blood flow to part of the
brain, a stroke results. A high level of LDL cholesterol (160 mg/dL and
above) reflects an increased risk of heart disease. If you have heart
disease, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dL. That's why LDL
cholesterol is called "bad" cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol
reflect a lower risk of heart disease. |
| |
|
What is HDL
cholesterol? |
|
Go
to top |
|
|
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as the "good cholesterol".
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL.
Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries
and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe
HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. A
high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. The opposite is also
true: a low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dL in men; less than 50 mg/dL in
women) indicates a greater risk. A low HDL cholesterol level also may raise
stroke risk. |
| |
|
Cholesterol and diet? |
|
Go
to top |
|
|
People get cholesterol in two ways. The
body � mainly the liver � produces varying amounts, usually about 1,000
milligrams a day. Foods also can contain cholesterol. Foods from animals
(especially egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, seafood and whole-milk dairy
products) contain it. Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts
and seeds) don't contain cholesterol.
Typically the body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so people don't need
to consume it. Saturated fatty acids are the main culprit in raising blood
cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease. Trans fats also
raise blood cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol also plays a part. The
average American man consumes about 337 milligrams of cholesterol a day; the
average woman, 217 milligrams.
Some of the excess dietary cholesterol is
removed from the body through the liver. Still, the American Heart
Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake
to less than 300 milligrams. If you have heart disease, limit your daily
intake to less than 200 milligrams. Still, everyone should remember that by
keeping their dietary intake of saturated fats low, they can significantly
lower their dietary cholesterol intake. Foods high in saturated fat
generally contain substantial amounts of dietary cholesterol.
People with severe high blood cholesterol
levels may need an even greater reduction. Since cholesterol is in all foods
from animal sources, care must be taken to eat no more than six ounces of
lean meat, fish and poultry per day and to use fat-free and low-fat dairy
products. High-quality proteins from vegetable sources such as beans are
good substitutes for animal sources of protein. |
| |
|
Cholesterol and physical
activity |
|
Go
to top |
|
|
Regular physical activity increases HDL cholesterol in some people. A higher
HDL cholesterol is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. Physical
activity can also help control weight, diabetes and high blood
pressure. Aerobic physical activity raises your heart and breathing rates.
Regular moderate to intense physical activity such as brisk walking, jogging
and swimming also condition your heart and lungs. |
| |
|
Cholesterol and tobacco smoking |
|
Go
to top |
|
|
Tobacco smoke is one of the six major risk factors of heart disease that you
can change or treat. Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol levels and increases the
tendency for blood to clot. |
| |
|
Cholesterol and alcohol drinking |
|
Go
to top |
|
|
In some studies, moderate use of alcohol is
linked with higher HDL cholesterol levels. However, because of other risks,
the benefit isn't great enough to recommend drinking alcohol if you don't do
so already. If you drink, do so in
moderation. People who consume moderate amounts of alcohol have a lower risk
of heart disease than nondrinkers. However, increased consumption of alcohol
brings other health dangers, such as alcoholism, high blood pressure,
obesity, stroke, cancer, suicide, etc. Given these and other risks, the
American Heart Association cautions people against increasing their alcohol
intake or starting to drink if they don't already do so. Consult your
doctor for advice on consuming alcohol in moderation. |
| |
|
|
|