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What Is the Meaning of a High LDL Cholesterol Calculation?
Cholesterol is an important lipid for the body, because it is a part of cell membranes and can also be used to make certain kinds of hormones known as steroid hormones. Cholesterol in the blood, however, can result in cardiovascular disease. High LDL levels mean that a person has a high concentration of one particular form of cholesterol, which is especially dangerous 2.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Lipoproteins
When cholesterol is in the blood, it is packaged into complexes known as lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are made by the liver and are made of cholesterol, proteins and triglycerides, which are another form of lipid. Lipoproteins are needed for cholesterol to travel in the blood because lipids do not mix well with the aqueous environment of the blood.
Low-Density Lipoprotein
The Difference Between Nonfasting & Fasting Cholesterol Tests
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Low-density lipoprotein, which is also known as LDL, is one type of lipoprotein. Low-density lipoprotein is also known as the "bad" cholesterol, because this lipoprotein can cause cholesterol to become deposited in the walls of the arteries. When cholesterol gets deposited in the walls of the arteries, the arteries become stiff and narrow. If this happens in the coronary arteries, they can become blocked, leading to decreased blood flow and a heart attack, the American Heart Association explains 3.
- Low-density lipoprotein, which is also known as LDL, is one type of lipoprotein.
- Low-density lipoprotein is also known as the "bad" cholesterol, because this lipoprotein can cause cholesterol to become deposited in the walls of the arteries.
Test
Low-density lipoprotein levels in the blood are usually measured as part of a test known as a lipid profile, LabTestsOnline reports. This blood test measures the levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which can lead to heart disease, as well as another type of lipoprotein known as high-density lipoprotein or HDL 123. HDL can prevent cholesterol from building up in the walls of the arteries because it works as a cholesterol scavenger.
Levels
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Ideally, LDL cholesterol levels are less than 100 milligrams per dL of blood, LabTestsOnline explains 2. Between 130 and 159 milligrams per dL of blood is considered to be borderline high. Levels between 160 and 189 milligrams per dL of blood is classified as high, and anything above that is considered to be very high.
Reducing LDL
Patients who have high LDL can lower it in a number of ways. A healthy diet which is low in saturated fat and cholesterol can help lower LDL levels, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute explains 123. Losing excess weight and getting regular exercise can also lower LDL levels in most patients. There are also many different prescription medications which can lower LDL levels.
- Patients who have high LDL can lower it in a number of ways.
- Losing excess weight and getting regular exercise can also lower LDL levels in most patients.
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References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: High Cholesterol Treatments
- Lab Tests Online: LDL Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Cholesterol
- American Heart Association. What is cholesterol?
- Cleveland Clinic. Cholesterol: What you need to know about high blood cholesterol. May 1, 2019.
- National Center for Health Statistics. Total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults: United States, 2015–2016. October 2017.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cholesterol.
- Barter PJ. The causes and consequences of low levels of high density lipoproteins in patients with diabetes. Diabetes Metab J. 2011;35(2):101-106. doi:10.4093/dmj.2011.35.2.101
- American Heart Association. How to get your cholesterol tested.
- Keene D, Price C, Shun-shin MJ, Francis DP. Effect on cardiovascular risk of high density lipoprotein targeted drug treatments niacin, fibrates, and CETP inhibitors: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials including 117,411 patients. BMJ. 2014;349:g4379. doi:10.1136/bmj.g4379
- Tall HR, Rader DJ. Trials and tribulations of CETP inhibitors. Circulation Research. Oct. 10, 2017.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Cholesterol: Medicines to help you.
Writer Bio
Adam Cloe has been published in various scientific journals, including the "Journal of Biochemistry." He is currently a pathology resident at the University of Chicago. Cloe holds a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry from Boston University, a M.D. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in pathology from the University of Chicago.