Aa
test results
Hi and thank you for this board i just got the results of my lab work but i do not understand it please help me to understand what my risks are i am a 39 yr old female with a family history of fatal heart attacks i have a-fib i take pravachol 20 mg atenolol 50 mg k-dur and an aspirin daily here are my results
cholesterol 106
hdl chol 33
ldlc,calculated 53
chol/hdlc 3.2
ldlc/hdlc 1.6
i have no idea what those mean what is my risk of a heart attack based on these figures. thank you
cholesterol 106
hdl chol 33
ldlc,calculated 53
chol/hdlc 3.2
ldlc/hdlc 1.6
i have no idea what those mean what is my risk of a heart attack based on these figures. thank you
Dear timok,
Total cholesterol is broken down into different categories. High density cholesterol (HDL) is the "good cholesterol" that acts as a cleaning cholesterol. Low density cholesterol (LDL) is the "bad cholesterol" that clogs up arteries throughout the body. LDL is not usually measure directly but is calculated from the following equation: LDL=Total-HDL-triglycerides/5. If the triglycerides are too high the LDL calculation is not valid. Triglyceride is another type of cholesterol whose significance is not well established. Very high levels (>1000) can lead to pancreatitis and other health problems. Cholesterol should be measured after an 8 hour fast. Sometimes ratios of "bad" cholesterol to "good" cholesterol are calculated with a desired ratio of less than 3 to 4.
Guidelines have been established as to the treatment of high cholesterol. It has been recommended that everyone over that age of 25 has their total cholesterol and HDL measured. If these are abnormal a full cholesterol panel should be done. Guideline for the treatment of cholesterol depend upon the risk factors that the person has. Risk factors are a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, male >45 yrs or female >55 yrs, diabetes (counts as two risk factors), smoking and obesity. Someone at low risk should have a goal LDL cholesterol less than 130 and should be on a special diet if LDL is greater than 160 and on medication if it is greater than 190. Someone with one or two risk factors should start medical treatment at 160. Someone with more than two risk factors or with established heart disease should have a goal LDL of less than 100 with medical treatment started at 130.
Total cholesterol is broken down into different categories. High density cholesterol (HDL) is the "good cholesterol" that acts as a cleaning cholesterol. Low density cholesterol (LDL) is the "bad cholesterol" that clogs up arteries throughout the body. LDL is not usually measure directly but is calculated from the following equation: LDL=Total-HDL-triglycerides/5. If the triglycerides are too high the LDL calculation is not valid. Triglyceride is another type of cholesterol whose significance is not well established. Very high levels (>1000) can lead to pancreatitis and other health problems. Cholesterol should be measured after an 8 hour fast. Sometimes ratios of "bad" cholesterol to "good" cholesterol are calculated with a desired ratio of less than 3 to 4.
Guidelines have been established as to the treatment of high cholesterol. It has been recommended that everyone over that age of 25 has their total cholesterol and HDL measured. If these are abnormal a full cholesterol panel should be done. Guideline for the treatment of cholesterol depend upon the risk factors that the person has. Risk factors are a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, male >45 yrs or female >55 yrs, diabetes (counts as two risk factors), smoking and obesity. Someone at low risk should have a goal LDL cholesterol less than 130 and should be on a special diet if LDL is greater than 160 and on medication if it is greater than 190. Someone with one or two risk factors should start medical treatment at 160. Someone with more than two risk factors or with established heart disease should have a goal LDL of less than 100 with medical treatment started at 130.
I'm curious about something-
I've had two episodes where I was taken to the ER. One was last summer- I was home alone, got a severe headache, took some tylenol, sat down to take a break and suddenly got very dizzy- my chest and arm felt as if I had a boa constrictor hugging me- numbness in my fingers, nausea, cold sweats. I called the triage nurse, thinking I had poisoned myself with the tylenol and she instructed me to call 911 immediately. Now, the same thing happened recently- minus the 911 call but each time, I was released and told to go to a specialist because they couldn't find anything but agreed that it was peculiar. I'm a female in my early 30's with a family history.
What other causes are there for what I have described?
I've had two episodes where I was taken to the ER. One was last summer- I was home alone, got a severe headache, took some tylenol, sat down to take a break and suddenly got very dizzy- my chest and arm felt as if I had a boa constrictor hugging me- numbness in my fingers, nausea, cold sweats. I called the triage nurse, thinking I had poisoned myself with the tylenol and she instructed me to call 911 immediately. Now, the same thing happened recently- minus the 911 call but each time, I was released and told to go to a specialist because they couldn't find anything but agreed that it was peculiar. I'm a female in my early 30's with a family history.
What other causes are there for what I have described?
You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Forum
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.
