Laboratory diagnostics: how is cholesterol level determined? General blood test for the determination of cholesterol.

Cholesterol molecules in the body are a balancing act between benefit and danger.

Normally, there should be enough substance so that bile and sex hormones can form, and the cell membrane remains elastic.

If there is a lot of it, it threatens with atherosclerosis, blockage of blood vessels, and obesity. Blood cholesterol level controlled by analysis showing its concentration.

Why do you need to donate blood for cholesterol on an empty stomach?

There are currently certain medical standards, according to which normal value elements that make up the blood.

To accurately determine the results, you need to pass tests in accordance with all the rules. Then it will be clear if there are deviations from the norm. A greater threat to a person is a lack of cholesterol than an excess.

To find out what level of a substance is present in the body, you need to pass venous blood. The procedure is carried out only in the morning and always on an empty stomach. It is recommended to refrain from eating for 8-10 hours.

On an empty stomach, it is done due to the fact that the process of digesting food and the elements that, as a result, penetrate into the vessels, can affect the final indicators. Then the data obtained by laboratory research will be distorted. This will affect the diagnosis, which will entail wrong treatment. As a result, the body will suffer from this.

Assistance must be properly justified. Therefore, it is desirable do the procedure on an empty stomach. It is also recommended not to eat fatty foods two days before it or to reduce their number to a minimum. This is especially important for those who suffer from overweight problems.

When is a laboratory test necessary?

It is justified when:

it is necessary to predict the probability of the risk of developing pathology;
there is a need to diagnose coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis;
the endocrine system fails;
there are deviations in the functioning of the liver, problems with the kidneys;
epidemic screening should be carried out;
to check the effectiveness and feasibility of drug therapy.

When calculating the results, the fact that the concentration of this substance in the blood is not a stable value, its indicators change in accordance with the age limits. How more man years, the higher the cholesterol level.

There is also a gender difference. Usually, the normal value of the substance is observed in women over 50 years old or in males who have not yet crossed this age limit.

What preparation is required before taking the test?

An experienced doctor is obliged to warn the patient in advance how to prepare for donating blood for cholesterol. Out of ignorance, you can prepare incorrectly, then the results of a laboratory test will be distorted, and difficulties will arise with the diagnosis. It's better to protect yourself right away - read the rules, which will help to carry out the procedure correctly.

The main requirements are:

You must come to the treatment room for empty stomach. It is advisable to refrain from eating for 8-10 hours. It's important not to overdo it. The permissible fasting limit before a visit to the laboratory is 16 hours, otherwise the body will be weakened, and the result of the cholesterol test may be unreliable.
On the eve of blood donation - a few days before the procedure, it is completely refuse fatty foods.
Do not consume within 24 hours alcoholic drinks even in small doses.
Before the examination, it is better not to smoke. Within 1-2 hours before the appointed time, refrain from cigarettes.
Drinking water is undesirable, but if you really want to drink, 0.5-1 tbsp is allowed. purified water - not carbonated, not sweet.
between procedure and last trick caffeinated drinks or juices, sweet compote should take at least 6 hours.
Just before donating blood, it is important to sit or lie down for about 15 minutes. You can not start the procedure immediately after climbing the stairs, fast walking. First you need relax and calm down.
If you need to have an X-ray, rectal examination, physical therapy on the same day, schedule these procedures after you donate blood.
It is not contraindicated for the female sex during menstruation to do an examination. Menstruation does not affect the level of cholesterol molecules in the blood. You can abstain only if the menstrual cycle is very painful for you.
Reception certain groups medicines affects the level of cholesterol. This applies to antiseptics, hormonal, diuretics, vitamins and minerals. First, notify the doctor, and then, if necessary, give up medication for a while, and only then come to take a cholesterol test if you want to get a reliable result.

If the preparation for the laboratory study was correct and you completed all necessary requirements, the analysis indicators will correspond to the true state of the organism.

Then it will be possible to determine with accuracy whether the numerical value corresponds to the norm. She is 3 to 6 mmol/liter. If there are deviations, the doctor will make a diagnosis and prescribe the medicines you need, advise a balanced diet.

To determine metabolic disorders, various diagnostic methods, the simplest and most informative of them is a biochemical blood test.

For diagnostics diabetes conduct a blood test for sugar. This test shows baseline (basal) glucose levels and is suitable for detecting initial stages diabetes, used to monitor treatment.

The level of cholesterol in the blood reflects the tendency to develop atherosclerosis, the presence of abnormalities in the functioning of the liver or kidneys, as well as the work of the endocrine glands - pancreas and thyroid.

Preparation for laboratory research

If blood tests are ordered, there are general rules how to prepare for blood donation for both sugar and cholesterol.

Biochemical analysis blood should be taken from a vein on an empty stomach. This means that the last time before the analysis, you can eat 12 hours before. You can not drink tea, juice or coffee - this can also distort the results. On the day when blood will be taken, only drinking water in normal quantities.

The day before the examination, preparation for delivery provides for the exclusion of alcohol. You can not eat fatty meat and fish, fried foods. It is recommended to reduce the consumption of eggs, fatty cottage cheese, fatty and spicy sauces. After a plentiful meal during a feast, at least two days should pass. Eaten on the day of the study, even light breakfast, can completely distort the result.

Before donating blood, please note that you can not smoke for an hour.

If it was assigned drug therapy or the patient independently takes any medications, then the date of the analysis should be agreed with the attending physician. It is impossible to donate blood while taking diuretics, hormones, antibiotics.

After diagnostic examinations - radiography, sigmoidoscopy or physiotherapy procedures, at least a day should pass.

The question of how to properly take a blood test for cholesterol or examine blood for sugar in various phases menstrual cycle in women, for these types of analyzes is not relevant. It is permissible to carry out diagnostics on any day.

For a correct assessment of the results during repeated studies, it is desirable to take them in the same laboratory.

Preparing and conducting a blood sugar test

A blood test for sugar is indicated to determine carbohydrate metabolism and detect diabetes.

In addition, the level of sugar can help in the diagnosis of diseases. thyroid gland, adrenal, pituitary and liver.

To detect diabetes mellitus, such a study must be carried out when symptoms appear:

Increased thirst or hunger.
Abundant and frequent urination especially at night.
With sharp fluctuations in weight.
In case of frequently recurring infectious diseases, persistent thrush.
With the development of skin diseases that are difficult to treat.
Sudden or progressive visual impairment.
Skin itching and dryness of the skin.
Poor healing of skin lesions.

Prior to testing, avoid stressful situations and excessive physical activity. For the study, it does not matter where the blood is taken from - from a finger or from a vein, the indicators for both options will be the same.

The results obtained are normal in patients from 14 to 60 years old, in the norm from 4.6 to 6.4 mmol / l. This range refers to the study by the glucose oxidant method. With other methods, there may be deviations from these figures.

Enhanced Level glucose occurs in the following pathologies:

In diseases, like type 2.
During physical activity, strong emotional reactions, stress, smoking.
With diseases of the thyroid gland.
In case of impaired adrenal function.
Diseases of the pancreas - pancreatitis in the acute and chronic stages.
Chronic diseases of the liver.
Impaired kidney function.
With heart attacks and strokes of the brain.
If the patient took diuretics, caffeine, estrogens or hormones before the analysis.

Low insulin levels may be due to:

Tumors of the pancreas - adenoma, carcinoma, insulinoma.
Hormonal pathologies - Addison's disease, adrenogenital syndrome.
Decreased thyroid function.
Overdose of insulin or antidiabetic drugs.
Cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Tumors of the stomach.
Prolonged fasting.
Malabsorption in the intestine.
Poisoning with arsenic, salicylates, alcohol.
Taking anabolics.

For the correct diagnosis of diabetes, only a single blood test for glucose is not suitable. Since this does not reflect the degree of change in carbohydrate metabolism.

Therefore, for procedures such as, in addition, studies should be carried out - a glucose tolerance test, determination of the level of glycated hemoglobin.

Preparing for a cholesterol test and evaluating the results

Cholesterol in the body is found in the cell membrane, in the brain and nerve fibers. It is part of lipoproteins - a combination of protein and fats. According to their properties, they are divided into lipoproteins:

high density - good cholesterol, it cleans the vessels.
low density - bad view cholesterol, as cholesterol plaques deposited on the walls of blood vessels, atherosclerosis develops.
Very low density - the worst kind, it is an indicator of diabetes mellitus, severe pancreatitis, cholelithiasis and hepatitis.

To prepare for the study, you need to eliminate all fatty foods from the diet.

A study is underway for patients with atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary disease heart failure cerebral circulation, with diseases of the liver and kidneys, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the thyroid gland.

Cholesterol levels vary by gender and age. So, for example, for men aged 40 to 45 years, the level of total cholesterol is considered to be from 3.94 to 7.15 mmol / l.

Elevated cholesterol occurs when:

congenital disorders fat metabolism.
Atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction.
Stagnation of bile in cirrhosis of the liver and obstructive jaundice.
Glomerulonephritis and renal failure.
Chronic pancreatitis and tumors of the pancreas.
diabetes mellitus.
Decreased pancreatic function.
Obesity.
Pregnancy.
Taking diuretics, contraceptives, male sex hormones, aspirin.
With gout.
Alcoholism.
With the abuse of fatty or sweet foods.

A drop in cholesterol levels can be a diagnostic sign:

Starvation.
For burns.
In the last stages of cirrhosis of the liver.
With sepsis.
Hyperthyroidism.
Heart failure.
Lung diseases.
Tuberculosis.
Taking drugs to lower cholesterol, estrogen, interferon, thyroxine, clomiphene.

In order to control the content of glucose and cholesterol in the blood in case of impaired metabolism, you can use the express diagnostic method by purchasing test strips and measuring devices.

This is especially important for determining the effect of treatment and selecting the optimal dosage of drugs, since both an increase in the level and sharp drop dangerous for the body. The video in this article will just tell you what can affect the results of the tests.

It is believed that the main enemy of cardio-vascular system- cholesterol. Based on this, many people think that the less this substance is detected in the blood during the analysis, the better for health. This is not entirely true. Cholesterol is necessary for fat metabolism, so in a small amount it is useful for the human body. This substance is necessary for the synthesis of bile acids in the liver, without it the process of building cell membranes is impossible, it is involved in the formation of sex hormones. This means that you do not need to completely get rid of cholesterol, it is important just to monitor its amount in the blood.

Donate blood for cholesterol should be under such circumstances:

to make a risk prediction or diagnose atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease;
pathologies in the activity of the endocrine system;
kidney or liver disease;
screening for dyslipidemias;
testing the effectiveness of treatment with statins and other lipid-lowering drugs.

It is important to know that the rate of cholesterol in the blood is a variable value, it changes with age, so the older the person, the higher the rate. There are also differences in connection with gender: up to 50 years normal performance higher among the male population, after 50 - among the female.

How to prepare for the analysis?

There are a number of factors that affect blood cholesterol levels. Therefore, you must adhere to the following rules in order to obtain reliable analysis results:

You need to donate blood on an empty stomach, which means that you should refrain from eating for at least 12 hours before visiting the laboratory. But you should not get involved in fasting, as much as possible a person is allowed not to eat on the eve of the procedure for 16 hours.
2-3 days before the study, you need to refrain from eating fatty foods.
It is not recommended to drink alcoholic beverages 24 hours before the examination.
Another one bad habit, which should be abandoned at least an hour before the analysis - smoking.
Drinking on the eve of the analysis is allowed clean water, in no case should it be sweetened.
Non-alcoholic drinks such as tea, coffee, juice can be drunk 6 hours before blood donation.
15 minutes before the analysis, a person is recommended to spend at rest, taking a sitting or lying position. This is especially true if he walked quickly or climbed the stairs.
An x-ray, rectal examination, or physiotherapy should be taken after blood sampling.
During the period of the menstrual cycle, women should not refuse to study, since this condition does not affect cholesterol levels in any way.
In the case of continuous medication, the patient must inform the doctor who sends him for examination. There are a number of medications that affect blood cholesterol levels. These include antibiotics, diuretics, hormonal preparations, vitamins, etc.

Norms and interpretation of the analysis

The study analyzes several types of cholesterol. Getting into human body, this substance combines with proteins responsible for its transportation. As a result, lipoprotein particles with different density indicators appear. It is high, intermediate, low and very low. Particles having a high density contain good cholesterol, which protects blood vessels from the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques in them. The remaining three types of particles are characterized by the content of bad cholesterol deposited on the walls of blood vessels.

In order for the decoding of the analysis to be reliable, only a general blood test for cholesterol is not enough. During the study, not only the level of total cholesterol is calculated, but also the number of its fractions: triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density(HDL). As a result, an atherogenic index is calculated, which makes it possible to identify the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

It is possible that on the form with the results of the analysis, the indicators are presented in the form of an English abbreviation. How to deal with them and understand what they mean?

Deciphering such results will be quite simple if you know that:

total cholesterol is denoted Chol or TC;
HDL - HDL;
LDL - LDL;
triglycerides - TG;
the atherogenic coefficient, which is also called the index, is IA.

The boundaries in the blood test of a healthy person are the following indicators: from 3.1 to 5 mmol / l. The norm of triglycerides is from 0.14 to 1.82 mmol / l. As for the interpretation of HDL indicators, their number should be more than 1 mmol / l. More specifically, the norm for high and low density lipoproteins is:

for women: LDL - from 1.9 to 4.5 mmol / l, HDL - 1.42 mmol / l;
for men: LDL - from 2.2 to 4.8 mmol / l, HDL - from 1.68 mmol / l.

What are deviations from the norm?

If the values deviate from the norm, this may be a signal of the presence in the body pathological changes such as metabolic disorders. Deciphering the result of the analysis allows you to calculate the coefficient of atherogenicity, that is, an indicator that makes it possible to assess the degree of risk of development cardiovascular disease. How is this index calculated? The amount of HDL is subtracted from the total cholesterol level, after which the resulting value must be divided by the amount of HDL. The resulting index can be interpreted as follows:

a value greater than 5 indicates the beginning of the development of atherosclerotic changes;
coefficient, which is in the range from 3 to 4, indicates possible risk development of atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease;
coefficient below 3 - the chances of developing atherosclerosis are negligible.

The atherogenic index depends on many indicators: gender, age group, body weight of the patient. So, in infants, its value is not more than one. In healthy men and women under the age of 30, it is 2.2 and 2.5, respectively. For men aged 40–60 years, the coefficient is 3–3.5.

An excess of triglycerides (more than 2.29 mmol / l) indicates that IHD and atherosclerosis have already developed, such a deviation from the norm can also indicate the presence of diabetes mellitus. If the concentration of triglycerides is in the range from 1.9 to 2.2 mmol / l, this is a sign of the onset cardiovascular disorders and atherosclerosis.

However, such knowledge does not provide sufficient grounds for self-decoding of indicators and diagnosis. It is important to understand that only a doctor can correctly decipher the results of the tests and say what is a deviation from the norm, and what needs to be done in each case.

A blood test for cholesterol is informative and effective method a study that allows you to detect cholesterol in the blood above or below normal. The level of cholesterol is an important biochemical indicator that determines the predisposition to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Such an analysis is very important for identifying the risk of atherosclerosis and possible education blood clots. Cholesterol in the human body comes in two forms: good and bad. Good cholesterol is a high-density lipoprotein that is produced by the liver and acts as a building material for cell membranes. Bad cholesterol is a low-density lipoprotein that enters the body with food, is not processed by the liver, but settles on the walls of blood vessels.

A blood test can detect whether cholesterol levels are higher or lower than normal.

If good cholesterol is necessary for a person to be healthy, then bad cholesterol provokes various pathologies. High-density lipoproteins are also involved in the production of hormones and metabolism, so their presence in the body is very important. An increase in one of these types of cholesterol affects the functioning of the body, disrupting the functionality of systems and reducing cellular metabolism. You can identify violations and prevent consequences if you take tests for total cholesterol. Total cholesterol is an indicator of high and low density lipoproteins and their ratio with the norm. This will be different for men and women. Also, the indicator of the norm is different for people of different age categories.

How to get tested for cholesterol?

You need to take an analysis for cholesterol in a clinical laboratory, where, under the action of reagents, you can determine the amount of mmol of cholesterol per liter of blood. Such a study is carried out in the same way as blood is given for sugar, and allows you to determine the level of lipids of high and low density. Sugar and cholesterol rise in the blood at the same time, since they both enter with food and are debugged in the body. The analysis is determined using highly sensitive reagents. For research, venous blood is taken. You need to take tests on an empty stomach early in the morning. Results can be collected in 1-3 days. With the help of diagnostics, it is possible to identify whether the level of lipoproteins is elevated or not, and to prevent the development of atherosclerosis.

General blood analysis

General analysis blood for cholesterol determines the amount of high and low density lipoproteins. The norms for women and men and the results are expressed according to various laboratory parameters in mmol / l, or in mg / dl. Normally, in a healthy person, the cholesterol level is 1-1.5 mmol / l.

Elevated levels of total cholesterol are determined by the SCORE scale. This indicator determines the degree of risk of developing atherosclerosis. Usually, high level high-density lipoprotein is designated in the general analysis as HDL, and bad cholesterol- LDL. The laboratory has a table of indicators of acceptable lipid levels by age, which is used to decipher the general analysis. With age, this indicator can increase, so the indicator for a child and an elderly person for total cholesterol is not the same. Also, the level of lipoproteins is affected by estrogen, therefore, in men, the norm is higher than in women. Such a study can show the slightest deviation from the norm and prevent the development of atherosclerosis.

General analysis is very informative method blood tests, so it needs to be done to control cholesterol and prevent the development of atherosclerosis. It is especially important to undergo a study for people over 50 years old.

Deciphering analyzes

A biochemical blood test is determined by three indicators:

the level of low density lipoproteins;
atherogenic index;
the amount of triglycerides.

The results of the study are issued on a form, where LDL is the designation of cholesterol in a blood test. Triglycerides are not cholesterol compounds because they are made from glycerol and fatty acids. They are dissolved fats that enter the bloodstream with food.

high cholesterol hazardous to health

Deciphering a blood test for cholesterol also determines the level of HDL. This indicator is determined by the minimum value, but in fact, the more it is in the blood, the stronger vessels. Normally, it should be at least 1 mmol / l. The results are compared with acceptable indicators, on the basis of which it is determined whether such a result is dangerous or its value is within the normal range.

Norm in women:

normal: 1 - 1.9 mmol/l;
moderately elevated: 2.2 - 3.6 mmol / l;
elevated: 3.7 - above 4.2 mmol / l.

The isolated value of LDL for women is 4.1 and above, HDL is from 0.9 to 2.2 mmol / l. With an HDL value below 0.7, there is a risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Norm for men:

normal: 1.7 - 2.8 mmol / l;
confidently elevated: 2.6 - 3.8 mmol / l;
elevated: 4.2 - 5.1 mmol / l.

The isolated value of LDL for men is 2.1 - 3.4 mmol / l. HDL in the blood, the maximum norm is 0.8 - 2.3 mmol / l.

The triglyceride norm in women and men has an approximate index allowable indicator: up to 2.0 - 3.8 mmol / l. The maximum rate, but within the normal range - up to 2.2 mmol / l (200 - 400 mg / dl). Such indicators are acceptable for an adult, for the elderly, such results are not suitable for assessing the result within the normal range, since their result is increased.

The results of the study are issued on the form

Another important criterion for assessing cholesterol in analyzes is the atherogenic coefficient. This indicator determines the relevance of high density lipoproteins to low density lipoproteins. The normal result is calculated by the formula:

CAT = (Total Cholesterol - LDL) / HDL

This coefficient determines the predisposition to the development of atherosclerosis, so its value is also important to consider when deciphering the results.

What does a detailed analysis show?

A detailed analysis of cholesterol has the scientific name lipidogram. A blood test of cholesterol according to the norm includes the level of HDL and LDL, as well as its fractions, triglycerides and an atherogenic index. A detailed analysis allows you to get the most accurate results and determine the slightest risk of developing atherosclerosis if the level of LDL is elevated. An extended study looks at fractional scores where high density lipoprotein is reported as α-cholesterol and low density lipoprotein is defined as β-cholesterol.

AT HDL norm according to a detailed analysis, it should not exceed 0.9 mmol / l, and LDL should not be higher than 2.5 mmol / l. According to atherogenicity, this indicator should not exceed the value of 3.

Express analysis

modern medicine allows you to quickly determine whether the level of LDL and HDL in the blood is elevated or not. This procedure will only take a few minutes. To conduct the study, you must purchase a one-time express test or an electronic express analyzer with test strips in the kit. You need to pierce your finger and place the blood on the express strip. If the result is increased, then the reagent stains the strip in the corresponding color. Such a study is very convenient, since it can be carried out at home and an unlimited number of times with disposable test strips. Express analysis will be useful for those who have high cholesterol and who need to constantly monitor its level.

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Today we have to find out how to take tests for cholesterol. This process, as a rule, does not cause many questions and problems. Modern medical laboratories offer wide range tests to check cholesterol in the human body. In addition, we will get acquainted with the norms of the content of this substance in the blood of men and women. Cholesterol levels usually rise with age. And its concentration must be controlled. Otherwise, the body may be seriously damaged. So every person should know about cholesterol and tests for it.

Cholesterol is...

What substance are you talking about? What is it responsible for?

Cholesterol is an element involved in the formation of cell membranes. This substance plays important role for the production of hormones in the human body (cortisol, testosterone, estrogen). AT pure form There is little cholesterol in humans, mainly it is present in the form of lipoproteins. These elements with a low density are called bad cholesterol, and with a high density - good.

Today, many have to think about how to take tests for cholesterol. In particular, due to the fact that this component can harm health. It is the main component of atherosclerotic plaques.

Interestingly, cholesterol is mainly produced by the liver. People get only 20% of this substance from food. However, in order not to run into dangerous disease arteries, it is necessary to take tests for cholesterol.

At-risk groups

Usually, healthy people rarely think about complex diagnostics organism. Usually, in the absence of ailments, no one will go to take a cholesterol test. But people with hypertension high blood pressure) or with cardiovascular disease should regularly conduct this study.

Today, you need to think about what tests for cholesterol to take:

smokers;
people who are overweight (obese);
patients with hypertension;
with diseases of the cardiovascular system;
the presence of heart failure;
people leading a sedentary lifestyle;
men after 40 years;
women after menopause;
older people, regardless of age.

Ways to check cholesterol

How to get tested for cholesterol? The answer to this question directly depends on what kind of research will be conducted.

Cholesterol tests include the following:

express test;
total cholesterol;
low density lipoproteins;
triglycides;
lipidogram.

The first type of research is most widely used in home diagnostics. In other words, test strips for studying the amount of cholesterol in the body are most often used at home.

All of these studies are based on the study of human blood. Blood for cholesterol is usually taken from a finger. In some cases, venous blood may be taken.

About the rules of preparation

What is a cholesterol test called? Lipidogram. This is what a comprehensive blood test for cholesterol will be called. As a result, total cholesterol, high and low density LPP will be displayed. This study is the most informative.

How to get tested for cholesterol? It is necessary to properly prepare for the process in order to reduce the likelihood of a false result. Regardless of which blood test is given, it is necessary:

Donate biomaterial on an empty stomach. This will require nothing to eat for 8-12 hours.
Eliminate stress a few days before the study.
Refuse on the eve of blood donation from fatty, salty, sweet foods.
Do not drink alcohol and narcotic substances a few days before the analysis.
If possible, refuse medications and hormonal drugs.

In principle, this will be enough. Before taking blood, you need to sit in the hallway for a while. It is necessary to take tests in a calm state. Otherwise, the possibility of an error cannot be ruled out. Sometimes this phenomenon leads to bad results. In any case, it is now clear how to properly take a blood test for cholesterol.

Blood from a vein/finger

Now a little about how this or that research is carried out correctly. When it comes to donating blood for cholesterol, then this diagnosis nothing stands out.

If blood is taken from a finger, then it is preheated, after which it is pierced with a special needle and a few milliliters of biological material (about 5 ml) are taken. In case of venous blood analysis is given differently - top part hands are pinched with a tourniquet. So that a vein protrudes on the elbow bend. A special needle with a flask is inserted into it. After inserting the needle, the tourniquet is removed - a sufficient amount of blood is drawn into the cone. Next, the needle, together with the collected biomaterial, is removed, and the injection site is tied with a bandage. The bandage from the arm is allowed to be removed after about 20-30 minutes.

Now it’s clear which cholesterol tests are most in demand. Blood sampling from a vein is the most common option for collecting biomaterial. It is practically painless.

test strips

However, progress does not stand still. The point is that in modern world you can find a wide variety of devices for home express diagnostics. The cholesterol test is no exception.

Pharmacies sell test strips for determining cholesterol and blood sugar. Usually this item is represented by a small electronic device with a screen and special test strips. They need to apply some blood (from a finger) and then insert them into the receiver. After a few seconds of waiting, information about the cholesterol content will appear on the screen. Quite often, such diagnostics are used at home by older people. A needle for pricking a finger and taking blood is included with the reader.

Norms in women

And how to decipher the studied studies? What are the norms of cholesterol in women and men? As already mentioned, it all depends on age. Therefore, it is impossible to say unequivocally how much cholesterol is contained in the blood of healthy people.

The table below shows the norm of cholesterol in women by age, which will help to better understand this issue.

All of these indicators indicate that women ideally maintain cholesterol levels throughout their lives at the same level. And only after menopause, the concentration of the substance begins to increase. Even in young children, cholesterol can be detected in the blood, but in small quantities.

The proposed table of cholesterol norms in women by age will help to correctly decipher the lipid profile. With its help, every girl will be able to understand what kind of cholesterol and in what quantities should be contained in the body.

Another feature of evaluating the results of a blood test for cholesterol in women is the consideration of numerous factors that can affect the body. Namely:

season;
day of the menstrual cycle;
the presence of pregnancy;
the presence of chronic diseases;
malignant formations.

Norms for men

In men, according to doctors, cholesterol increases with age throughout life. What rules need to be taken into account?

In an adult male, cholesterol (total) is in the range from 3.6 to 2.52 mmol / l., "bad" cholesterol - from 2.25 to 4.82, HDL - from 0.7 to 1.7.

In general, for men, the table of blood cholesterol norms by age looks like the one shown in the photo below.

This table illustrates the change in blood cholesterol in men. Indeed, with age, the content of this substance increases.

Evaluation of results

When analyzing blood for cholesterol, it is necessary to pay attention to triglycerides. They play an important role in metabolism. Their level in men and women is approximately the same. It is necessary to focus on the following indicators:

norm - up to 2 mmol / l .;
permissible value - up to 2.2 mmol / l .;
high rate - from 2.3 to 5.6 mmol / l .;
very high - from 5.7 mmol / l.

In some analyzes there is a so-called atherogenic coefficient. This attitude bad cholesterol and useful. It is calculated by the formula: CAT = (total cholesterol - HDL) / HDL.

The following indicators are considered the norm of the coefficient:

from 2 to 2.8 - for people 20-30 years old;
3.35 - people over 30;
4 or more - with ischemia.

Results

Now it’s clear how a detailed blood test for cholesterol is performed. This study can be done both in any clinic and in private medical laboratories. The preparation for the study was also discussed. This process should no longer be difficult.

Preparing for a cholesterol test is not that difficult. Usually, laboratories ask you to come to take biological material on an empty stomach and not drink alcohol before taking the test. Nothing special or incomprehensible!

Men and women have different levels of cholesterol in their blood. In the beautiful half of society, it begins to grow only after menopause, and in the strong - throughout life. This is quite normal.

Uncontrolled rise and fall of cholesterol in the blood is observed in people with kidney or liver disease. In case of malnutrition, as a rule, the studied component increases. To reduce it, you need to follow special diet. In fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems.