Fasting triglycerides are where you fast for a period of time before your blood test, usually hours:. If you have high cholesterol, high triglycerides or an unhealthy balance of blood fats, your doctor will probably recommend bringing these levels down with lifestyle changes and sometimes treatments.
Your doctor should look at your results in relation to any other risk factors for heart disease you may have such as high blood pressure, being overweight or smoking, as well as other health conditions such as diabetes. Once you have your cholesterol results you can work out your risk of developing heart disease over the next 10 years using the NHS Heart Age Tool.
You will get a more accurate result if you know your blood pressure numbers too. The heart age tool is designed for people aged 25 to Adults age are also invited for NHS Health Checks which includes other simple tests to look at your heart health. Women naturally have higher HDL cholesterol good cholesterol levels than men due to differences in the genes.
Women should aim for an HDL cholesterol level above 1. During pregnancy, both cholesterol and triglyceride levels can significantly rise.
We don't recommend getting a cholesterol test during pregnancy because your results won't be accurate. Our advice is to wait until at least weeks after your baby is born or after you stop breastfeeding to get a cholesterol test. This means you don't need to worry unnecessarily. Find out more about pregnancy and blood fats. Being active is a major part of looking after your cholesterol and your heart.
Get moving with these at-home workout videos. There are several foods which are not just part of a healthy diet, they can actively help to lower your cholesterol too. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Continue Find out more. Get healthy living and recipes sent straight to your inbox Sign up to our FREE monthly newsletter for tips, information and practical help to manage cholesterol.
It is important to not only look at the overall cholesterol number but to know your numbers for all types of cholesterol. There are also triglycerides, which is another type of fat in the bloodstream, that are also tied to heart disease. For LDL-cholesterol, the general principle is that the "lower is better. Learn more. The AHA recommends that once you reach the age of 20, you have your cholesterol level tested every five years.
Milani says. However, if your numbers are higher than they should be, you probably need to be tested annually. Also, if you're being treated for high cholesterol, you may need to be tested more often to be sure your treatment is working, Milani says. You also may be tested more frequently if you have risk factors for heart disease, such as if you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, if you have high blood pressure or diabetes, if you're overweight, or if you smoke.
You should fast for 9 to 12 hours before having the fasting lipoprotein profile, a simple blood test that can tell you your cholesterol numbers. A deciliter is one-tenth of a liter, or about 3. Your cholesterol report includes a few readings. Total cholesterol is a combined measure of your HDL or "good" cholesterol, your LDL or "bad" cholesterol, and triglycerides , a distinct group of fats found in your blood that can also raise your risk of heart disease.
If your total cholesterol is between and , it's considered mildly high and requires watching, Milani says. If your total cholesterol is or higher, talk with your doctor about how you can lower it. Some doctors are more concerned with your "bad" LDL cholesterol , which for most people should be less than Your HDL cholesterol level can never be too high, Milani says.
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