1. LDL Cholesterol Healthcheckup.com

2. Getting a health checkup done at least once a year is a must, however, most of us would prefer doing them only when the doctor asks us to. Emergency situations like a stroke or heart attack often warrant one test for sure i.e. the cholesterol level test. This is because the underlying cause of such an emergency could be high LDL cholesterol. No wonder then, high cholesterol is often known as a “silent killer”. A health condition that doesn’t cause any symptoms till it’s too late. Millions of people all over the world are grappling with cholesterol issues today. According to the American Heart Association, “Cardiovascular disease holds the dubious distinction of being one of the leading causes of death in the world today, accounting for nearly 1.73 crore deaths every year. This number is expected to increase to 2.36 crore by the year 2030. More than a third of ischemic heart issues are caused because of high LDL cholesterol levels.” Healthcheckup.com

3. What is saturated fat and its sources? Saturated fats or cholesterol is nothing but a white wax-like substance produced by the liver in our body. It is also found in some of our food items. Not only do these fats help the functioning of cells in our body, but also help the body produce vitamin D, bile for digestion and other hormones. When the amount of these necessary fats in our blood goes up, it may increase the risk of heart and circulation issues. Cholesterol is often carried by proteins in the blood known as lipoproteins. There are two kinds of proteins, the low-density lipoprotein aka LDL and the high-density lipoprotein aka HDL. Too much of anything is bad for health, which is the case with LDL cholesterol. However, high- density cholesterol protects our body from harm, hence the name good cholesterol. Knowing the LDL cholesterol levels in our body is the first step towards combating its effects. Healthcheckup.com

4. Need for cholesterol tests and how often: Just getting your cholesterol tested would not help. You need to know when we need to do it and how many times. Here are the different situations when the test needs to be done. Age 40-75 years – every 5 years On cholesterol medication – every 12 months Children whose parent/parents suffer from inherited high cholesterol – As soon as they are 10 years’ old First cousins of people suffering from inherited cholesterol – once you are told of the risk. Healthcheckup.com

5. Measure of LDL cholesterol range Most diagnostic centers use the Friedewald formula to measure LDL cholesterol with the assumption that the number of triglycerides to cholesterol would be constant. Total cholesterol is measured by adding HDL + LDL+ (Triglycerides x 0.2). The range is often measured in milligrams for every deciliter of blood. The normal range for total cholesterol is 200-240 mg/dl.An LDL cholesterol level of 200 mg/dl is the ideal, while anything between 201 mg/dl to 239 mg/dl is considered to be borderline high. A measure of 240 mg/dl and more is considered to be high. LDL cholesterol is measured by subtracting HDL and Triglycerides from Total cholesterol divided by 5 i.e. Total cholesterols – HDL – Triglycerides/5 The ideal range for LDL would be below 100 mg/dl. Anything in the cholesterol range of 101 to 129 mg/dl is considered almost ideal. However, a measure between 130 -159 mg/dl is borderline high, between 160 -189 mg/dl is high and 190 mg/dl and above is considered very high. If you are at higher risk of suffering from a cardiac arrest, then maintaining a level of 70 mg/dl of LDL is the best way to avoid it. Healthcheckup.com

6. Here’s a look at how to lower LDL Lifestyle changes: Doctors often advice changes in your lifestyle once you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels. You may have to give up habits like smoking, chewing tobacco etc. Exercising: It is ideal to start exercising and making it a part of your life just like other routine functions. If you are busy then you need to find the time or try different ways such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, parking away from your office, take a walk after your lunch. Source: http://healthcheckup.com/blog/heart/ldl- cholesterol/ http://healthcheckup.com/blog/heart/ldl- cholesterol/ Healthcheckup.com