If you have recently undergone cholesterol screening, the results may be confusing. You may wonder why there are often several sets of numbers and you may also want to know what those numbers can mean for you. Once you learn a little more about the test and what the results can mean you may have a better chance of understanding test results and figuring out how to make any necessary lifestyle changes.
Cholesterol is a fairly complex substance. On one hand, we need it in order for the body to function properly. We are urged to make sure that we include the proper foods in our diet to ensure that we are getting the right amount. Low levels in the bloodstream can actually indicate the presence of some fairly serious health problems. These can include cancer and liver damage.
However, when we end up with levels that are too high, we face new problems. Cholesterol screening tests that show your cholesterol is either moderately high or dangerously elevated. High levels of LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol can mean that you will end up with clogged arteries and the heart disease that goes along with it.
What many people may not know is that not all cholesterol is bad. LDL cholesterol is, and triglycerides can also be dangerous if they are elevated past a certain point. HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is actually considered to be the good cholesterol. Having sufficient levels in your blood stream is important because it causes the body to pull cholesterol back out of the bloodstream so that it can be eliminated from the body.
The problem is that on a basic cholesterol screening test you may show that you have elevated levels of good cholesterol in your bloodstream. In fact, often if you show that you have a mild elevation in your blood serum cholesterol, your doctor will order testing specifically designed to find out what is going on and what, if anything, you will need to do in case it becomes more elevated and starts to pose a more serious threat to your health.
Before you overreact and deal with a test result that may not be as bad as it seems, you should try to find out all you can about cholesterol screening. It can help keep you from avoiding these important tests and, better yet, can help ensure you are in the best physical shape possible.
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