Heart Diseases: strong vessels - long life

cholesterol are being tested around the world to determine risk factors for heart disease, yet? Many people are confused by the cholesterol numbers and how they are. Part of this confusion may arise from the fact that literature originating in the United States cholesterol levels in units that differ from those in Canada, Europe, and a good portion of the rest of the developed world. So, if you are looking for information on how your test results on the Internet and elsewhere, you can not? The figures in American literature, because they are very different from the cholesterol numbers on your lab report.

The United States Reports cholesterol levels in mg /dl (milligrams per decilitre) blood. The rest of the world is with the measurement called mmol (or millimoles per liter). Without a return to the basic chemistry of high school, shall we say? that they are different measurements. So is it any wonder that these two options give your cholesterol numbers are so different?

Here is how the two different systems of measurement stack desirable cholesterol numbers.

As in the system of measurement, in the United States

• = total cholesterol below 200 mg /dL



• LDL? = Less than 100-129 mg /dL (less than 100 is best)



• HDL? = More than 40 mg /dL (greater than 60 is as protective against heart disease)

, however, as expressed in SI units (International Measurement System), that most of the world is the numbers are different. (You can remember, the letters refer to the good and the bad things of memory is this? Way ... H stands for healthy? And L stands for lousy.)

• total cholesterol = less than 5,2 mmol /L



• LDL? = In the range of about 2.6 to 3.3 mmol /l (less than 2.6 is best)



• HDL? = In the field of more than 1 to 1.5 mmol /L (higher is better) mmol /l

Can you see the difference, as the cholesterol numbers are? The difference, of course, is that the units are being measured. Remember how metric and imperial measures. Your weight in pounds could be a three digit number, but in kilograms, it could be a two-digit number. Same weight different measurements.

understanding of the cholesterol ratio

When used to determine whether you are on cholesterol risk factors for heart disease, it is not the specific levels that are analyzed, but the ratio of HDL in your total lipid profile. This figure is the cholesterol ratio, and there is an indication of how much of your total cholesterol is "good" stuff.

The reason why this is important, because the HDL is useful when used in sufficient quantity is it? has a protective effect and? the LDL in your system can not be so much damage. So even if your LDL is higher than the desired level, if the HDL is high, and how well the ratio in the desired area then the risk of heart disease is lower.

The goal here is that the cholesterol ratio of less than 5:1, the optimum ratio is 3.5. The ratio of cholesterol to the same number, no matter which system of measurement is used. The cholesterol ratio is determined by dividing the total cholesterol by the value for HDL. For example, if you have a total cholesterol of 240 mg /dL and an HDL of 60 mg /dl,? the ratio is 4th The SI system of measurement, if the total cholesterol 7.20 mmol /L and HDL 1.8 mmol /L? the ratio is still 4th

You can see how this is a better understanding of the way the cholesterol risk factors for heart disease and expressing it can prevent confusion arising from not using the units that are used. This information is also helpful for understanding why the strategies recommended? for cholesterol imbalances work. Some of the best strategies are those which raise the HDL level. In particular, it was found, one of the best ways to improve the cholesterol ratio, because it raises HDL levels. In contrast, experience has shown smoking to lower HDL levels, so no exercise and smoking is a recipe for low HDL level, a bad cholesterol ratio and a higher risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol is in every cell of the body and is an essential prerequisite for the maintenance of health. Low cholesterol levels have been associated with poor health, so the goal is not to eliminate or reduce cholesterol completely, but desirable, to the level of individual species, so that the protective benefits of HDL may be for you for the preservation of health.

This will not be confused when they try to understand your cholesterol levels. No matter which way the figures expressed the message is the same. You want enough of the good things and not so much of the bad things to your risk of heart disease.

Beverly Hansen OMalley is a health promotion specialist and likes to write about health related topics that help people in their daily lives. She is the the owner of http://www.registered-nurse-canada.com where she explores the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada including comparison of the nursing entrance tests for the US and Canada, comparison of registered nurse salaries across the country and what it means to have a nursing license.

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