Understanding Cholesterol Numbers

Your complete lipoprotein profile consists of cholesterol numbers including total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride (TG) levels. Cholesterol numbers are very crucial to every human being. In fact, every individual after their 20 years of age should check their cholesterol level in a five years interval, if not otherwise recommended by doctors. The blood test signifying the cholesterol numbers is known as lipoprotein profile. This blood test is arranged by following a 10-12 hours of fasting.

Significance of Cholesterol Numbers

Cholesterol numbers are beneficial because they encode the level of different types of cholesterol in a quantifiable fashion. If it is not possible for you to find out the complete lipoprotein profile, understanding cholesterol numbers concerning total cholesterol level and HDL cholesterol level can offer you the essential idea about the status of the cholesterol content in your body. If your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol numbers are more than 200mg/dL and less than 40mg/dL respectively, you should consult your doctor for a lipoprotein profile to be done.

Cholesterol numbers imply whether the individual is at risk for developing coronary complications in recent days or not. In fact, it helps in understanding the intensity and probability of the risk. For example, total cholesterol level less than 200mg/dL is desirable while 240mg/dL or higher is absolutely non-desirable and may pose a serious threat on health condition. On the other hand, the borderline condition is identified with cholesterol numbers lying between 200-239mg/dL.

For low density lipoprotein, the cholesterol numbers are assigned into 5 categories – optimal, near optimal or above optimal, borderline high, high and very high. The categories are identified with <100mg/dL, 100-129mg/dL, 130-159mg/dL, 160-189mg/dL and 190mg/dL respectively. Higher HDL is good for health, whereas higher LDL can lead to serious health complications. High HDL number may often balance high LDL number.

Factors Influencing Cholesterol Numbers

There are quite a few factors that can affect the cholesterol level in the body, hence the numbers. These are diet, age, gender, heredity, weight and physical activity. Among all these factors you can not simply do anything with age, gender and heredity. But of course you can manage the other factors by simply maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Apart from that, there are few other environmental factors such as smoking and excessive amount of alcohol consumption may pose a serious threat.

For women, the LDL level continues to rise in the post menopause phase. High blood cholesterol can be a familial characteristic. In such a case, the genetic structuring may lead to increasing amount of cholesterol production than normal. A healthy fat-free and cholesterol-free diet and regular exercise can benefit for not developing such complications.

Understanding Cholesterol Level

In human body, cholesterol is produced by liver. It is a fatty and waxy substance which is required to protect nerves, construct cell tissues and make certain hormones. Cholesterol is very important to our health, although excess amount of cholesterol level brings negative impact to our overall system. If you go to check your cholesterol level, it is estimated in milligram per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). While determining whether you are at high risk with your cholesterol level, the doctor may take into account other factors such as family history, age, sex, high blood pressure, and smoking habits. During the diagnosis, a complete lipoprotein profile will reveal the details regarding total blood cholesterol level, HDL (good) cholesterol level, LDL (bad) cholesterol level, and triglyceride level.

Total Blood Cholesterol Level

If your HDL, LDL and triglyceride level are within the desirable limit and you have your total blood cholesterol level less than 200mg/dL, this means you are at low risk for developing coronary heart diseases. If you are diagnosed between 200-239mg/dL for your total cholesterol level, you are at borderline-high risk condition. At this time, doctors will thoroughly examine the LDL, HDL and triglyceride level and ratio. It may happen that your LDL can be balanced by the HDL count. If you have your total cholesterol level of 240mg/dL or more, you are at higher risk for developing coronary heart disease twice more likely than people having cholesterol at their desirable level.

HDL (good) Cholesterol Level

HDL is good and higher level of HDL is better for health. Men having HDL less than 40mg/dL and women 50mg/dL are at risk for developing heart disease. HDL level more than 60mg/dL offers safeguard against developing cardiac complications. On average, men and women have HDL of 40-50mg/dL and 50-60mg/dL respectively. Smoking and obesity may result in low level of HDL. In order to increase and maintain a perfect HDL level, one should strictly avoid tobacco smoking, must maintain healthy diet and practice exercise on regular basis. If someone has higher triglyceride level, he typically has a lower level of HDL and consequently is at higher risk for heart attack and stroke.

LDL (bad) Cholesterol Level

If you have a lower LDL level, that means you have at lower risk for developing heart problems. Typically less than 100mg/dL implies an optimal level of LDL while 190mg/dL may pose a serious threat on health. While determining appropriate treatment plan for someone having higher level of LDL, doctors first take into account the other risk factors as well. It greatly varies person to person. If a healthy level of LDL is applicable to you; that does not mean it will be suitable in a same way for your neighbor. So it is highly recommended adhere the treatment plan as suggested by your doctor so that it can work for you in the best suitable fashion.

Triglyceride Level

Triglyceride is a kind of fat that is produced within our system. Typically people with higher triglyceride level have a higher level of total cholesterol in addition to high LDL and low HDL. Normally, your triglyceride level should fall below 150mg/dL. If you are having your triglyceride level higher than 500mg/dL, you are certainly at risk. The risk factors identified for developing higher triglyceride level are obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and high carbohydrate diet. Additionally, genetic disorders may pose a threat.

Side Effects of Zocor and Other Drugs for Cholesterol Treatment

Zocor, generically known as simvastatin, is used as a cholesterol lowering drug that helps in blocking cholesterol production in the body. It aids in lowering low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level as well as total cholesterol level in the body. High cholesterol may lead to different critical health complications including heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular disorders. Although Zocor helps in protecting body from these types of complications, there are significant side effects of Zocor like other drugs for treating cholesterol.

Side Effects of Zocor

Many drugs offer side effects including Zocor for treating cholesterol which are simply hard to avoid. In rare conditions, Zocor may lead to such conditions that may turn into collapsing skeletal muscle tissue, which may eventually lead to kidney failure. The common symptoms are unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, muscle weakness, fever or flue symptoms and dark-colored urine. Doctors strongly discourage having Zocor and other cholesterol drugs for potential side effects especially at the time of pregnancy. Using Zocor during this time may lead to cause birth defects and may profoundly affect the fetal development in an adverse fashion.

If you are on Zocor medication while not following a well-planned low cholesterol diet, it is very unlikely that Zocor will be of any help in minimizing your LDL and total cholesterol level. In such case, like any other cholesterol drugs Zocor will offer side effects only without any kind of specific benefits. The common symptoms for Zocor include muscle pain, muscle weakness, nausea, constipation or diarrhea.

Other Significant Influencing Factors

Zocor should not be used if you are pregnant or suffering from kidney disease. If you have diabetes, hidden thyroid, or muscle disorder, you should not take Zocor prior consulting with doctor. In fact, it is always recommended to take doctor’s advice prior taking Zocor like any cholesterol drugs to avoid side effects. If you are planning to become pregnant, you must discuss it with your doctor. In case if you are using this medication, you are strictly advised to undergo effective form of birth control. Till date no sufficient data have been found in support of whether cholesterol drugs like Zocor have any side effects on breast feeding practices, but you should not consume Zocor without informing it to doctor if you are breast feeding your baby.

Zocor and other cholesterol drugs may interact adversely in some conditions. For example, if you are taking Zocor and at the same time you are having diet rich in fat and cholesterol, you certainly do not get any benefit from Zocor. You should abstain from taking alcohol when you are on Zocor medication because alcohol increases triglyceride level. In fact, alcohol has a strong adverse effect on kidney function if you are on Zocor medication during that period. In fact, grapefruit and grapefruit juice may pose harmful side effects if used with Zocor.