Getting an accurate cholesterol reading is important in determining your risk for heart disease. More than 102 million adults in the U.S. have high cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2010, more than 35 million of these Americans had cholesterol levels high enough to put them at risk for cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol levels may vary after eating, so find out if a specific scheduled test necessitates that you fast during preparation, before arriving to get your blood drawn.
Fasting vs. Non-Fasting
A fasting cholesterol test requires that you not eat or drink anything except water for nine to 12 hours before having your blood drawn. Some elements measured in a cholesterol test are sensitive to food intake. Talk with your doctor about prescription medications you are taking. Some medicines that affect cholesterol levels may be too important for you to skip a dose. A non-fasting cholesterol test, on the other hand, is one in which you can eat and drink normally before having your blood drawn.
Origin of Cholesterol
Your liver produces most of the cholesterol in your body. You get the rest through the foods you eat. The fat we eat gets absorbed into the intestines, then goes into the liver. The liver converts fat into cholesterol and triglycerides. Triglycerides are stored in fat cells. Every cell in the body uses cholesterol. The bloodstream transports cholesterol from the gut to the cells.
Lipid Panel
Cholesterol is a lipid, a fatlike substance that is not soluble in the watery plasma of blood. The body overcomes this by packaging cholesterol onto different types of lipoproteins. A lipid panel is a cholesterol test that measures these different lipoproteins, triglycerides and total cholesterol present in your bloodstream.
LDL and HDL
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries blood from the gut to the cells of your body. LDL is most closely associated with heart disease because it introduces more cholesterol into the bloodstream. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) uses its density to scrape excess cholesterol from arterial walls and transport it back to your liver, where it is processed and eliminated with other body waste. LDL and HDL are not sensitive to food intake. A non-fasting person may have his blood checked for LDL and HDL.
Triglycerides and Total Cholesterol
Triglyceride and total cholesterol levels rise after eating. Triglycerides can rise five to 10 times higher after a meal, according to LabTestsOnline.org. Triglycerides can rise dramatically after ingesting alcohol. Do not drink alcohol for at least 24 hours before having your blood drawn for triglyceride testing. Triglycerides and total cholesterol require that the patient be fasting.
Levels
These lipid panel levels are for a fasting patient. Your total cholesterol should be 200 mg/dL or lower, and triglycerides should be 150 mg/dL or less. High levels of LDL are associated with increased risk for heart disease, so LDL levels below 100 mg/dL are best. HDL is beneficial to lowering your risk for cardiovascular problems, so you want to see higher levels of HDL. An HDL of 60 mg/dL or more offers maximum protection for your heart.
