Preventive Healthcare With Cholesterol Tests
Cholesterol is one word that becomes unfortunately common as we grow older. High levels of it are linked to cardiovascular disease, which is a long list of problems that everyone would prefer to not have to deal with. Sadly, this will not be the case for many people as they deal with high cholesterol, and most people will have a cholesterol test administered several times throughout their life.
Preventive Healthcare Now, Less Problems Later
A cholesterol test is considered a form of preventive healthcare. That is to say that this test performed now will help doctors prevent problems in the future. Because high cholesterol is directly linked to many forms of heart and cardiovascular disease, testing for high levels of cholesterol can help doctors decide if a patient is at higher risk for these diseases, and if they are, then other routine tests can be ordered to help prevent those problems from becoming life threatening illnesses.
Just like physical exams, cholesterol tests are routine medical checkups generally given every five years, many times coinciding with physical examinations. A cholesterol test is given just like any other type of blood test: a needle is inserted into a vein, and blood is drawn. Shortly after, the results are delivered back to the doctor, who informs the patient of their results.
As a patient, you should be aware of an important fact before taking your cholesterol test. Food plays an important factor in cholesterol levels, and eating food can alter results to the point where they are representations completely opposite of your actual cholesterol levels. It is generally recommended to not eat anything for at least twelve hours before the test is given. Most of the time, this is easily achieved by not eating anything after supper one night and nothing before the test on the following day, so it should not seriously impede your life.
The Results Are In
When your results are returned, the big number that you'll look at is the overall cholesterol level of your blood. Less than 200 mg/dL (milligrams/deciliter of blood) is desirable in most cases (though desired levels may be less for patients already at risk for heart disease and some other illnesses). Up to 240 mg/dL is considered "borderline high risk," and anything over that is at "high risk" for heart disease. If you are borderline or high risk, your doctor will be able to formulate a plan to get you back on track to healthy levels. With a cholesterol test, you can help ensure that you're always healthy.