Cholesterol measure
Hi,
I have recently moved to Ireland from California (Monterey). I have been taking a statin for elevated Cholesterol. My level was around 250 before taking Zocor, 10mg. My question is, in Europe they seem to measure cholesterol on a scale of 2,3,4,5,6,7.... Can anyone tell me what the conversion of this scale is to the commonly used scale in North America?
Thank you.
EF
Hi Eugene,
I hope you're enjoying California! To make an accurate conversion, you'll need to know the breakdown of your total cholesterol into HDL, LDL, and triglycerides.
To convert mmol/l of HDL or LDL cholesterol to mg/dl, multiply by 39.
To convert mmol/l of triglycerides to mg/dl, multiply by 89.
As an example:
Total cholesterol = 7.6
HDL = 1.1
LDL = 4.2
Triglycerides = 2.3
To convert:
HDL = 1.1 x 39 = 42.9
LDL = 4.2 x 39 = 163.8
Triglycerides = 204.7
Total cholesterol = HDL + LDL + (Triglycerides divided by 5)
Total cholesterol = 42.9 + 163.8 + (204.7 divided by 5) = 247.64
The conversion can get pretty confusing, so just go one step at a time.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
8 Essential Steps to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
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What does the test result mean?<!-- image if not empty --> For adults, in a routine setting where testing is done to screen for risk, the test results are grouped in three categories of risk:
- Desirable: A cholesterol below 200 mg/dL (5.18 mmol/L) is considered desirable and reflects a low risk of heart disease.
- Borderline high: A cholesterol of 200 to 239 mg/dL (5.18 to 6.18 mmol/L) is considered to reflect moderate risk. Your doctor may decide to order a lipid profile to see if your high cholesterol is due to the amount of bad cholesterol (high LDL-C) or good cholesterol (high HDL-C) in your blood. Depending on the results of the lipid profile (and any other risk factors you may have), your doctor will decide what to do.
- High Risk: A cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg/dL (6.22 mmol/L) is considered high risk. Your doctor may order a lipid profile (as well as other tests) to try to determine the cause of your high cholesterol. Once the cause is known, an appropriate treatment will be prescribed.
The risk categories for children and adolescents are different than adults. Talk to your child’s pediatrician about your child’s results.
In a treatment setting, testing is used to see how much cholesterol is decreasing as a result of treatment. The goal for the amount of change or the final (target) value will be set by your doctor. The target value is usually based on .........................................................frm onesones266@hotmail.com
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