Today we have to figure out how to take cholesterol tests. This process, as a rule, does not cause many questions and problems. Modern medical laboratories offer a wide range of tests for checking cholesterol in the human body. In addition, we will get acquainted with the norms of the content of this substance in the blood of men and women. With age , cholesterol levels usually rise. And its concentration must be controlled. Otherwise, the body may be seriously affected. So every person should know about cholesterol and tests for it.
Cholesterol is ...
What substance are we talking about? What is it responsible for?
Cholesterol is an element involved in the formation of cell membranes. This substance plays an important role in the production of hormones in the human body (cortisol, testosterone, estrogen). In the pure form of cholesterol, a person has little, it is mainly present in the form of lipoproteins. These elements with a low density are called bad cholesterol, and with high - good.
Today, many have to think about how to take tests for cholesterol. In particular, due to the fact that this component can harm health. It is the main component of atherosclerotic plaques.
Interestingly, cholesterol is mainly produced by the liver. From foods people get only 20% of this substance. Nevertheless, in order not to encounter a dangerous disease of the arteries, it is necessary to take cholesterol tests.
Risk groups
As a rule, healthy people rarely think about a comprehensive diagnosis of the body. Usually, in the absence of ailments, no one will go for a cholesterol test. But people with hypertension (high blood pressure) or with cardiovascular diseases should regularly conduct this study.
Today, you need to think about what tests for cholesterol to take:
- smokers
- overweight people (obesity);
- hypertensive patients;
- with diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- the presence of heart failure;
- people leading a sedentary lifestyle;
- men after 40 years;
- women after menopause;
- elderly people, regardless of age.
There are different tests for cholesterol. It will be further described in more detail about these studies and their decoding.
Ways to Check Cholesterol
How to take cholesterol tests? The answer to this question directly depends on what kind of research will be conducted.
Tests for cholesterol emit the following:
- express test;
- total cholesterol;
- high density lipoproteins ;
- low density lipoproteins;
- triglycides;
- lipid profile.
The first type of study was most widely used in home diagnostics. In other words, test strips for studying the amount of cholesterol in the body are most often used at home.
All of these studies are based on the study of human blood. Blood for cholesterol is taken, as a rule, from the finger. In some cases, venous blood can be taken.
About the rules of preparation
What is a cholesterol test called? Lipidogram. This is what a complex blood test for cholesterol will be called. As a result, total cholesterol, high and low density LPP will be displayed. This study is the most informative.
How to take cholesterol tests? It is necessary to properly prepare for the process to reduce the likelihood of a false result. Regardless of which blood test is given, it is necessary:
- Take biomaterial on an empty stomach. This will require eating nothing for 8-12 hours.
- Eliminate stress a few days before the study.
- Refuse on the eve of blood donation from fatty, salty, sweet foods.
- Do not drink alcohol or drugs a few days before the test.
- If possible, refuse medications and hormonal drugs.
In principle, this will be enough. Before taking blood, you need to sit a bit in the corridor. It is necessary to take tests in a calm state. Otherwise, one cannot exclude the possibility of an error. Sometimes this phenomenon leads to poor results. In any case, it’s now clear how to pass a blood test for cholesterol.
Vein / Finger Blood
Now a little about how correctly this or that research is carried out. If we are talking about donating blood to cholesterol, then this diagnosis does not stand out.
If you take blood from a finger, then it is preheated, then pierced with a special needle and a few milliliters of biological material are taken (about 5 ml.). In the case of venous blood, the analysis is different - the upper part of the arm is pinched with a tourniquet. So that a vein protrudes at the elbow. A special needle with a flask is inserted into it. After the introduction of the needle, the tourniquet is removed - a sufficient amount of blood is collected in the cone. Next, the needle along with the collected biomaterial is removed, and the “injection” site is bandaged with a bandage. The bandage from the hand is allowed to be removed after about 20-30 minutes.
Now it’s clear which cholesterol tests are most in demand. Blood sampling from a vein is the most common option for collecting biomaterial. It is almost painless.
Test strips
Nevertheless, progress does not stand still. The thing is that in the modern world you can find many different devices for home express diagnostics. A study on cholesterol is no exception.
Pharmacies sell test strips for determining cholesterol and blood sugar. Usually this item is represented by a small electronic device with a screen and special test strips. It is necessary to apply a little blood on them (from the finger), and then insert them into the receiver. After a few seconds of waiting, information on the cholesterol content will appear on the screen. Quite often, such a diagnosis is used at home by older people. A finger and blood needle is included with the reader.
Norms in women
And how to decipher the studied studies? What norms of cholesterol in women and men emit? As already mentioned, it all depends on age. Therefore, it is impossible to unequivocally talk about how much cholesterol is contained in the blood in healthy people.
The table of the norm of cholesterol in women by age, presented below, will help to better understand this issue.
All of these indicators indicate that, ideally, women have the same level of cholesterol throughout their lives. And only after menopause does the concentration of the substance begin to increase. Even in young children, cholesterol can be found in the blood, but in small quantities.
The proposed table of cholesterol norms in women by age will help to correctly decipher the lipid profile. With its help, every girl will be able to understand what cholesterol and in what quantities should be contained in the body.
Another feature of evaluating the results of a blood test for cholesterol in women is the inclusion of numerous factors that can affect the body. Namely:
- season;
- menstrual cycle day;
- the presence of pregnancy;
- the presence of chronic diseases;
- malignant tumors.
Norms in men
In men, according to doctors, cholesterol rises with age throughout life. What standards should I pay attention to?
In an adult male, cholesterol (total) is contained in the range from 3.6 to 2.52 mmol / L., “Bad” cholesterol - from 2.25 to 4.82, HDL - from 0.7 to 1.7.
In general, in men, the table of blood cholesterol norms by age looks as shown in the photo below.
This plate illustrates the change in blood cholesterol in men. Indeed, with age, the content of this substance increases.
Evaluation of the results
When analyzing blood for cholesterol, you need to pay attention to triglycerides. They play an important role in metabolism. Their level in men and women is approximately the same. It is necessary to focus on the following indicators:
- the norm is up to 2 mmol / l .;
- permissible value - up to 2.2 mmol / l .;
- a high rate is from 2.3 to 5.6 mmol / l .;
- very high - from 5.7 mmol / l.
Some analyzes have a so-called atherogenic coefficient. This is the ratio of bad cholesterol to good. It is calculated by the formula: CAT = (total cholesterol - HDL) / HDL.
The following indicators are considered the norm of the coefficient:
- from 2 to 2.8 - for people 20-30 years old;
- 3.35 - people over 30;
- 4 or more - with ischemia.
Summary
Now it’s clear how a comprehensive blood test for cholesterol is performed. This study can be done in any clinic, as well as in private medical laboratories. Preparation for the study was also told. This process should no longer be difficult.
Preparing for a cholesterol test is not so difficult. Usually in laboratories they ask to come to take biological material on an empty stomach and not to drink alcohol before taking the test. Nothing special or incomprehensible!
In men and women, blood cholesterol is contained in different concentrations. In the beautiful half of society, it begins to grow only after menopause, and in the strong - throughout life. This is quite normal.
Uncontrolled increase and lowering of blood cholesterol is observed in people with kidney or liver diseases. In case of malnutrition, as a rule, the studied component increases. To reduce it, you must follow a special diet. In fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems.