Triglycerides

what are the normal levels for triglyceride,cholestrol,ldl,vldl,hdl ?

at what levels it is advisable to take medicine ? what are the side effects of medicine ? can these be controlled naturally by exercise or by changing food habits ?

Public Comments

1. In mmol/L, the ranges are as follows: Triglycerides 0.4-2 mmol/L Total cholesterol 3-5.0 mmol/L HDL cholesterol (male) 0.7-1.9 mmol/L HDL cholesterol (female) 0.9-2.4 mmol/L LDL cholesterol 2.4-3 mmol/L Here's a detailed link: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atglance.htm Your physician can best determine when and whether it's advisable for you to take medication. Basically all the medications used for hyperlipidemia have side effects. Statins that are used in the treatment of high LDL have one set of side effects (e.g. Atorvastatin), whilst Niacin which is used in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia has an entirely different side effect profile. In short, it depends on what the physican is trying to treat as there are a number of agents, with varying mechanisms of action and varying adverse effects.
2. Most likely if you get your results from a CBC or lipid profile, the figures will be measured in mg/dL General Gidelines (keep in mind i said general. Everyone is different) Total Cholesterol - under 200 mg/dL LDL - under 100 m/dL (sometimes under 70) HDL - 40 m/dL and above Triglycerides - less than 150 mg/dL Your physician will determine at what point you should be medicated. The HDL ("good cholesterol") is considered a negative risk factor, meaning that if HDL is above 40, it may take away the risk posed by a high HDL or total cholesterol number. Depending on your lipid profile, it can be managed by diet and exercise. Again, your physician will decide if medication is right for you. As all drugs, there are side effects to cholesterol lowering meds. Lipitor, for example, (the most widely prescribed statin) has adverse effects such as muscle pain, headaches, joint pain, and diarrhea. Hope this helps!
3. Lipid and Lipid proteins:(multiply into 39 to get mg/dL) Cholesterol-3.5 to 6.5 mmol/L(Ideal-5.2 mmol/L or 200 mg/dL) HDL cholesterol: Male-0.8 to 1.8 mmol/L Female-1.0 to 2.3 mmol/L In general, your risk for heart disease, including a heart attack, increases if your HDL cholesterol level is less than 40 mg/dL. Men are at particular risk if their HDL is below 37 mg/dL. Women are at particular risk if their HDL if their HDL is below 47 mg/dL. An HDL 60 mg/dL or above helps protect against heart disease. Women tend to have higher HDL cholesterol than men. LDL cholesterol- <4.0 mmol/L A healthy LDL level is one that falls in the optimal or near-optimal range. * Optimal: Less than 100 mg/dL (less than 70mg/dL for persons with a history of heart disease or those at very high risk for atherosclerotic disease) * Near Optimal: 100-129 mg/dL * Borderline High: 130-159 mg/dL * High: 160-189 mg/dL * Very High: 190 mg/dL and higher Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results. Lipids (total)- 4.0 to 10.0 g/L Lipoproteins: VLDL- 0.128 to 0.645 mmol/L LDL- 1,55 to 4.4 mmol/L Triglycerides:(multiply into 89 to get mg/dL) Male-0.70 to 2.1 mmol/L Female-0.50 to 1.70 mmol/L Normal Results of Triglycerides: * Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL * Borderline High: 150-199 mg/dL * High: 200-499 mg/dL * Very High: 500 mg/dL or above