Cholesterol

[Scarlet10]

Hello

I went to the hospital this week and they informed me that now there is only one figure for cholesterol. My figure was .[emoji[emoji6]] and they suggested that I need to start statins due to being aged and type one for years. I really don’t want to stay statins, so my question is what is the target number for our combined cholesterol? I didn’t know it’s now moved to be one combined number.
Thanks a lot

 

[Sarah69]

I’m sorry I don’t understand what your cholesterol number is? Mine is 5.6 and they want me to start statins but I’ve ignored that so far. I’m only ever given one figure for cholesterol, I don’t get different numbers.

 

[grantg]

source mydiabetesmyway:


Total Cholesterol

Cholesterol will usually be treated when it is above 5, but it is now recognised that treatment may be beneficial even at lower levels, hence guidelines to offer to all over the age of 40. For people on statin we recommend aiming for less than 4 mmol/l.

HDL cholesterol

The higher your HDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of developing heart disease. High levels of HDL cholesterol are better than low HDL cholesterol. The HDL value need to be put in context of the rest of the lipid profile, but as a rough guide, a desirable level of HDL is greater than 1.0 mmol/L for men and greater than 1.2mmol/L for women. A good level of HDL is 1.5 mmol/L or more and is associated with a less than average risk of heart disease. The HDL is often used in combination with the total cholesterol to give a Cholesterol: HDL ratio

LDL Cholesterol

Of all forms of cholesterol in the blood, LDL cholesterol is considered the most important in determining risk of heart disease. Treatment with diet or drugs aims to lower LDL. LDL should be less than 2.0mmol/l.
American guidelines suggest LDL should be less than 2.6mmol/L, Joint British Society Guidelines suggest a treatment target of less than 2mmol/L in patients who are high risk or have diabetes. Other guidelines don't give strict cut offs but all agree that lower is better.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are usually part of a lipid profile used to identify the risk of developing heart disease. Triglycerides increase significantly when blood sugar is poorly controlled and will also increase after a fatty meal, so must be interpreted in context. They are a useful part of an overall 'lipid profile'.
Triglyceride levels should be less than 1.7 mmol/l after fasting from night before.

edit added link: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-cholesterol.html

 

[Scarlet10]

Sorry I’m not sure why it posted like that. My combined figure was 2.9
They did some risk form, my risk came out as 8.5% because I’m on bloody pressure medication, but my blood pressure was never high always borderline acceptable never over and I now wish I didn’t start that medication and I really don’t want to start statins.
Thanks for the information that’s very useful.

 

[grantg]

I really don’t want to start statins.

couple of other links NHS that you may find useful.

High cholesterol | NHS inform

Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and is carried in your blood. Learn more about high cholesterol and how it's managed.

www.nhsinform.scot

Cholesterol, High

Fat made by the body

111.wales.nhs.uk

High cholesterol - How to lower your cholesterol

Find out what you can do to lower your cholesterol, such as what to eat and what to avoid.

www.nhs.uk

i note you've said 2.9 for your combined figure which measurement unit was that if was mmol/l doesnt really seem high.

was it perhaps the ratio? which would be cholesterol/hdl 2.9 is still pretty good


last link also nhs on lipid profile results: https://www.nottsapc.nhs.uk/media/0aod5fib/final-hyperlipidaemia-guidelines.pdf

hopefully you'll find the above useful.

 

[Scarlet10]

Thank you so much for the information that’s very useful
I think it must be my ratio, the consultant wasn’t bothered by it until he did some risk form and it came out over [emoji[emoji6]]% and then said I need statins
My gp is brutal so I need to be armed with information. I’m going to ask about my triglyceride reading too so thank you.

 

[Scarlet10]

Sorry came out over %. Not sure why my posts are doing that.

 

[grantg]

Not sure why my posts are doing that.

its due to using mobile app. woudln't worry either way, hopefully the admins will be able to fix the issue with the emotes for numbers in due course. PC doesnt have issue with changing stuff to emotes. you can also use browser on mobile phone and then choose to show desktop version however doing so will be very small txt and hard to read on mobile.