Cholesterol
By: Terra Merrill, Jaden Korth, & Christian Martinez
HDL & LDL, WHAT'S THE DEAL?
Why do doctors monitor the concentrations of LDL and HDL in patients' blood?
Doctors monitor LDL because too much cholesterol can cause a heart attack and a stroke and too much HDL can lead to coranary heart disease.
How are the concentrations of LDL and HDL associated with the risk for heart disease and associated disorders?
When you have high concentrations of LDL it clogs your arteries. High concentrations of HDL can lead to atherosclerosis which increases the risk of of having a heart attack and ischemic stroke.
What other molecules in a patient's blood are monitored along with HDL and LDL?
Other molecules monitored along with LDL and HDL in a patient's blood include triglycerides, low density lipoproteins, and high density lipoproteins. Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the bloodstream inside of cholesterol molecules, therefore, high levels of triglyceride increase the risk for heart disease.
What do the results of a cholesterol test mean? How do patients interpret each vaule?
How does the intake of unsaturated, saturated, and trans fats affect cholesterol levels and overall health?
You’re at high risk if your levels are 240 mg/dL and above. You are at borderline high risk if your levels are 200-239 mg/dL. It is desirable to have levels less than 200 mg/dL
IToo much saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats can cause a person's LDL levels to increase. This could then lead to arterial hardening. If there is more LDL than HDL can uptake on, then a person could suffer from a heart attack or stroke. Unsaturated fats are good fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, and stabilizes the heart.