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Question re cholesterol target

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paul_melb

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I'm a bit confused about cholesterol levels and what the best target range is. My doctor has always said mine is fine. But when I told him to foxtrot oscar ( a phrase i noticed on another post..took me a minute to work it out) after missing my DB, and changed to another doc I am taking more of an interest. But the test results are in a measure that is odd: 81 direct cholesterol ( normal range 70-120). However there is a note on the lab report that the target for those at risk of CVD should be under 70. My limited understanding is that the same applies to those with diabetes. Does this reading of direct cholesterol mean I don't need to know about HDL and triclycerides? And if the target is under 70, how on earth does one get there? I already take a statin and have done for 14 years. Can someone point me in the right direction?
cheers
 
paul_melb said:
I'm a bit confused about cholesterol levels and what the best target range is. My doctor has always said mine is fine. But when I told him to foxtrot oscar ( a phrase i noticed on another post..took me a minute to work it out) after missing my DB, and changed to another doc I am taking more of an interest. But the test results are in a measure that is odd: 81 direct cholesterol ( normal range 70-120). However there is a note on the lab report that the target for those at risk of CVD should be under 70. My limited understanding is that the same applies to those with diabetes. Does this reading of direct cholesterol mean I don't need to know about HDL and triclycerides? And if the target is under 70, how on earth does one get there? I already take a statin and have done for 14 years. Can someone point me in the right direction?
cheers
Click to expand...

Are you UK-based, Paul? I've always had my cholesterol readings in mmol/l.

I would say 'yes', you definitely need your full lipid profile. I get mine printed out every time - and you are entitled to them, they are part of your medical records and we are now allowed by law to see them.

The figures I work to (all mmol/l) are:

Total > 5
HDL < 1.2
LDL > 3
Triglycerides > 1.7 and the lower the better. My best ever was 0.65. Trigs are the real baddies.

Total/HDL ratio: target below 5.1 and preferably c. 3.5:1

These are for non-diabetics, but my GP is happy with them as long as my BG and BP are okay - which they are.

I have the diabetic figures somewhere, and will come back and edit this when I find them.

Viv 8)

Edit: Current diabetic target figures, courtesy of Noblehead:

current target numbers for people with diabetes are as follows:

HDL: 1mmol/l or above for men; 1.2mmol/l or above for women

LDL: below 2mmol/l

Triglycerides: equal to or below 1.7mmol/l

Total Cholesterol: below 4mmol/l
 
PS - as far as 'getting there' goes, the best-ever lipid profile I have had was 4 years ago, after 18 months on Atkins Induction - less than 30g carbohydrate daily.

See Viv's Modified Atkins Diet, which is on the Sticky Thread section.

Viv 8)
 
For cholesterol (not trigs as it's a different calculation)
81 mg/dl = 2.09466 mmol/l
so I think from what you say that this is your directly measured ) LDL cholesterol (rather than calculated)
http://cholesterol.about.com/od/getting ... ateldl.htm


70mg/dl (1.8102 mmol) is the LDL target in recent guidelines by the American Association of Endocrinologists for people at 'high risk' of CVD, it was already the target (in the US) for those who had diabetes and also had CVD.
 
Thanks both. I am commuting between australia and thailand and this test was done in Bangkok. I will have the full set of tests to get a clearer picture of my status. 70mg/dl (1.8102 mmol) seems distant..at least for now!
cheers
paul
 
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