Lipid Profile

  Lipid Profile

$49.00

 Requires you to be fasting 12-14 hours. No appointment necessary.   

Total Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a necessary substance in your body from your first day of life. Experts recommend a cholesterol level   below 200 for good health. Between 200 and 239 is borderline and above 240 is dangerous. When associated with at least two risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, previous heart disease or stroke, excess weight and being a smoker, t increases the incidence of having coronary artery disease and heart attacks.

HDL (Good Cholesterol)

High density lipoproteins (HDL) are proteins coated "packages" that carry fat and cholesterol through the body. The function of HDL is to remove cholesterol from the blood by transporting it to the liver where it will be prepared for excretion through the bile. HDL has a protective effect on the deposit of fat in the wall of blood vessels. Increasing its level in the blood will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The use of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated fats (Olive Oil), and physical exercise may increase the level of HDL.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fatty substance which must be measured together with your cholesterol for a complete picture of your circulating blood fats. Blood triglycerides  tend to be elevated in people who have high cholesterol levels, in people with diabetes or chronic kidney disease,  and in those who are obese. The relationship between triglycerides and coronary artery disease is still controversial. Some studies suggest that high blood triglycerides might increase the risk of coronary artery disease. If your blood level of triglycerides is elevated you should consult your doctor for dietary changes and weight loss and exercise program or for the  use of medication which may be necessary in some cases.

LDL  (Bad Cholesterol)

Low density lipoproteins (LDL) transport one half to two thirds of all blood cholesterol to various body tissues. A certain amount of LDL cholesterol (up to 130) is normal. But when the level increases, LDL promotes plaque development on the walls of the coronary arteries, slowing the flow of blood and sometimes blocking the artery entirely. Levels of 130-160 are considered borderline high and levels of 160 or higher are definitely abnormal and should be reduced with rigorous diet, other lifestyle changes, and/or with drug therapy.

Controversies are now surfacing on the danger of having  LDL blood levels which are too low. The relation to some type of cancers and other diseases have been noticed with LDL levels reduced below 90 and closer to 50. Therefore is unclear today how safe is to lower your LDL blood level. A safer level seems to be between 90-130 and should be associated with an increase in the HDL levels.

VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein)

VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein) is a fraction of Triglycerides circulating in your blood stream. Not as important as the LDL, this blood fats follows the levels of your Triglycerides. 
Tryglycerides levels may be elevated either for the presence of high fats in your food which when absorbed in your intestine is transformed as Chylomicrons and give a milky appearance to the liquid part of your blood ( serum ) or for the presence of Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL) which is the part of Triglycerides produced by your body and not ingested with food.  

Cholesterol/HDL Ratio 

The HDL in the blood is believed to serve two functions:     1) it coats the inside of the artery wall and provide a kind   of protective layer of grease to prevent fat deposits from building up and 2) it serves as scavenger by actually helping dissolve fatty deposits when they occur. The basic rule of balance for your blood is to have a relatively high amount of HDL in your body in relation to your total amount of cholesterol. This is called the Cholesterol/HDL Ratio.

 
The ratio in men should always be less than 5.0, and preferably less than 4.5. For women, the ratio should be lower and always under 4.0 and preferably under 3.5. In other words the man's HDL should always represent at least 20% of the total cholesterol count (and preferably should   be 25% or greater). For a woman the HDL cholesterol   should make up at least 25% (or preferably 30%) of the  total cholesterol. The Cholesterol/HDL Ratio is probably the best predictor of future coronary disease. Active people with low levels of body fat tend to show the best cholesterol balance (ratio) in their blood.