Manage your serum LDL and cholesterol levels to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. A doctor uses cholesterol screening to assess a patient's chance for heart problems and other diseases associated with high cholesterol. More than 102 million American adults had high cholesterol in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 35 million of those people had levels high enough to put them at risk for developing heart disease.
Anatomy
Your liver makes most of the cholesterol in your body. You get the rest through food. Your body converts the fat and dietary cholesterol you consume into serum cholesterol and triglycerides. Cholesterol is a lipid, which means it is a fat-like substance, not soluble in the watery plasma of blood. Your body overcomes this by packaging cholesterol into lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, carries cholesterol from your gut to the cells throughout your body. LDL is associated with high cholesterol because it introduces cholesterol into the bloodstream. HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, reduces the level of cholesterol by ferrying it to the liver, where it is processed and eliminated from the body.
Levels
A blood test is the only way to measure serum LDL and cholesterol levels. Medical laboratories use a lipid panel, which measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. Total cholesterol levels measuring 200 mg/dL or less are healthiest, according to Lab Tests Online. Doctors consider patients with total cholesterol levels over 240 mg/dL to be at increased risk for heart disease. Your LDL should be 100 mg/dL or lower. You are at increased risk for cardiovascular problems if your LDL is 160 mg/dL or more.
Source
A diet chronically high in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol is the primary source of high levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Saturated fat raises LDL more than anything else in the diet, according to the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute. Food from animal sources, like meat, eggs and dairy, contain saturated fat and cholesterol. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature, like the white flecks in raw hamburger. Food from plants, such as vegetables, fruits and grains, do not provide cholesterol unless you add butter, cream or other food products containing cholesterol.
Treatment
A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet that is high in whole grains and fiber can significantly reduce serum LDL and cholesterol levels. Eat fish like salmon and mackerel, high in omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to HDL, at least twice a week. Lose weight, stop smoking and exercise regularly to lower cholesterol levels. Your doctor may prescribe medicines like statins, niacin and fibrates if diet, exercise and lifestyle changes are not enough to control serum LDL and cholesterol levels.
