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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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I get a high cholesterol level but i maintain a proper diet

i have been told today that i have to go for a check up at my doctors as a full blood test i had done a week ago has come back with my cholesterol is high and is at 5.3, which i believe is fairly high especially for a female and i am 35 yrs old. a year ago was the last time i had a full blood test done and everything was ok but i was 2 stone heavier than i am now, i would say that i am over weight but not obese, hence the diet! i exercise regularly and have been on a long term diet and i am just bewildered how i can get high cholesterol now. could someone tell me actually how high 5.3 is and how damaging this score can be and any ideas why it could be this high from the info i have given cos i am totally bemused by it all. thank you very much, any information would be a great help to me.
Mon, 14 Dec 2009
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That's your total cholesterol reading. What was the rest of your lipid profile? What needs to be taken into account is your TC:HDL ratio. A lower ratio is better as this indicates that you have high levels of HDL- which prevents cholesterol deposits building up in the arteries- this means that long term you are less at risk from heart disease. 5.3 is a little high. Total cholesterol should be <5mmol/l and your LDL level under 3mmol/l. Is there a family history of HC? Life style changes are the best way to go at the moment. Unless there is a family history, your reading is not really an indication for Statins (which reduce the cholesterol in the blood.) Try and ensure that you reduce saturated fat in your diet as much as possible and exercise- this will raise your HDL. Also try and stay as close to your ideal weight as possible. Sometimes high cholesterol is not life style induced, your high cholesterol might be caused by a condition that runs in the family called familial hypercholesterolaemia. This affects about one in 500 people in the UK. Do you have any other medical conditions? Certain medications, poorly controlled diabetes, thyroid problems, some kidney and liver diseases can also affect blood lipid levels. Try not to worry, 5.3 isn't alarming. In the UK, 2 in 3 adults in have a total cholesterol level of 5.0 mmol/l or above.
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