cholesterol

[boudrauxe]

Why do we need to fast before cholesterol test ? Why do we need to fast before we have a cholesterol test and what would be the results if we didn't ? Would chewing gum or a small sip of water effect the test and how ?
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[Yvonne8]

I was told by my DN that a non fasting test can only give you an overall result and a fasting test can be broken down better and give you a more precise reading.

 

[Ambersilva]

A fasting cholesterol test is taken to ensure that there is no influence in the test results from the cholesterol content of your last meal. It is absolutely fine for you to drink water during the fasting period.

 

[czj]

There is evidence that fasting is not as important as was once thought - see this article on the British Heart Foundation site

http://www.bhf.org.uk/media/news-fr...releases/november-2009/cholesterol-tests.aspx

In real life, doctors don't seem to have made their minds up. My last GP told me not to fast but to lie to the nurse and tell her I had. That was because they got more detailed results from the lab if it was said to be a fasting sample. My new GP told me to fast, and when I queried it ,she said the evidence was 50:50 so they decided to stick with fasting. :?

So I think you can be a bit relaxed about eating before hand, so long as you are not planning a lard sandwich