Analyzes for cholesterol: how to take, preparation, results. Blood for cholesterol

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 a wide range of tests to check the cholesterol in the human body. In addition, we will become acquainted with the norms of the content of this substance in the blood of men and women. With age, the cholesterol level usually rises. And its concentration must be controlled. Otherwise, the body can be seriously affected. So everyone should know about cholesterol and analyzes.

Cholesterol is ...

What substance are we talking about? What does it answer for?

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

To date, 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 constituent of atherosclerotic plaques.

Interestingly, cholesterol is mainly produced by the liver. Of products, people receive only 20% of this substance. Nevertheless, in order not to face a dangerous disease of the arteries, it is necessary to pass tests for cholesterol.

Risk groups

As a rule, healthy people rarely think of complex diagnostics of the body. Usually, in the absence of ailments, no one will go to test for cholesterol. But people with hypertension (high blood pressure) or with cardiovascular diseases should regularly carry out this study.

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

• Smoking;
• People with overweight (obesity);
• Patients with hypertension;
• With diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• Presence of heart failure;
• People who lead a sedentary lifestyle;
• Men after 40 years;
• Women after menopause;
• Elderly people, regardless of age.

There are different tests for cholesterol. Further on, we will talk in more detail about these studies and on their interpretation.

Methods for testing cholesterol

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

Analyzes for cholesterol are as follows:

• Express test;
• Total cholesterol;
• High-density lipoproteins ;
• Low-density lipoproteins;
• Triglycides;
• Lipidogram.

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

All these studies are based on the study of human blood. The blood for cholesterol is taken, as a rule, from the finger. In some cases, they can take venous blood.

About the rules of preparation

How is the cholesterol test called? Lipidogram. This is how the complex blood test for the content of cholesterol will be called. As a result, the total cholesterol, high and low density LPP will be displayed. This study is the most informative.

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

1. To hand over the biomaterial on an empty stomach. This will require nothing to eat for 8-12 hours.
2. Eliminate stress a few days before the study.
3. Refuse on the eve of donating blood from fatty, salty, sweet food.
4. Do not drink alcohol and drugs a few days before the analysis.
5. If possible, give up medication and hormone drugs.

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

Blood from the vein / finger

Now a little about how to properly carry out a particular study. If it is a matter of donating blood to cholesterol, then this diagnosis does not stand out.

If blood is taken from the finger, it is preheated, then pierced with a special needle and take several milliliters of biological material (about 5 ml.). In the case of venous blood, the analysis is given differently - the upper part of the arm is pinched by a tourniquet. So that the elbow protruded vein. A special needle with a bulb is inserted into it. After the needle is inserted, the tourniquet is removed - enough blood is collected into the cone. Next, the needle, together with the collected biomaterial is removed, and the place of the "prick" is bandaged with a bandage. The bandage from the hands is allowed to take off after about 20-30 minutes.

Now it is clear what tests for cholesterol are most in demand. Blood sampling from the vein is the most common method for collecting biomaterial. He is practically painless.

Test strips

Nevertheless, progress does not stand still. The thing is that in the modern world you can find a lot of different devices for home express diagnostics. The study on cholesterol is no exception.

In pharmacies, test strips are being sold to determine cholesterol and blood sugar. Usually this item is presented by a small electronic device with a screen and special test strips. They need to put a little blood (from the finger), and then insert them into the receiver. After a few seconds of waiting, the screen will display information about the cholesterol content. Quite often, such a diagnosis is used at home by elderly people. The needle for finger puncture and blood sampling is included with the reader.

Standards for women

And how correctly to decipher researched researches? What norms of cholesterol in women and men distinguish? As already mentioned, everything depends on age. Therefore, it is impossible to say unequivocally about how much cholesterol is in the blood of healthy people.

The table of cholesterol in women by age, presented below, will help to better understand this issue.

All these indicators indicate that in women ideally the norms of cholesterol throughout life are kept at the same level. And only after menopause concentration of the substance begins to grow. Even in young children, cholesterol can be detected in the blood, but in small amounts.

The proposed table of cholesterol norms in women by age will help correctly decipher the lipidogram. With her 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 the evaluation of blood test results for cholesterol in women is the consideration of numerous factors that can affect the body. Namely:

• season;
• Day of the menstrual cycle;
• Presence of pregnancy;
• The presence of chronic diseases;
• Malignant formations.

Rates for men

In men, according to doctors, cholesterol increases with age throughout life. What norms should be paid attention?

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

In general, men's table of cholesterol levels in blood by age looks like it is presented in the photo below.

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

Evaluation of results

When analyzing blood for cholesterol, you need to pay attention to triglycerides. They play an important role in the 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;
• The allowable value is up to 2.2 mmol / l .;
• High index - from 2.3 to 5.6 mmol / l .;
• Very high - from 5.7 mmol / l.

In some analyzes there is a so-called coefficient of atherogenicity. This is the ratio of harmful cholesterol and useful. 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 and more - with ischemia.

Results

Now it is clear how the detailed blood test for cholesterol is performed. This study can be done in any clinic or in private medical laboratories. About the preparation for the study, too, was told. This process should no longer cause difficulties.

Preparation for analysis for cholesterol is not so difficult. Usually, laboratories are asked to come and take biological material on an empty stomach and do not consume alcohol before taking the test. Nothing special or incomprehensible!

In men and women, cholesterol in the blood is contained in different concentrations. In the beautiful half of society, it begins to grow only after menopause, and for a strong half - throughout life. This is quite normal.

Uncontrolled rise and fall in blood cholesterol is observed in people with kidney or liver disease. With disrupted nutrition, as a rule, the component being studied increases. To reduce it, you must follow a special diet. In fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems.