When your doctor orders a blood test to measure the cholesterol level in your body, the result given to you is one number. In some cases, a doctor may break down the numbers and advise you what the HDL, LDL, and triglycerides levels are.
Unless you are aware of what the appropriate levels are, you can be at risk for cardiovascular disease or, in some cases, a prime candidate for a heart attack. Today, it is more important than ever to ask the doctor what the numbers are not only for the total cholesterol, but for LDL (bad cholesterol); HDL (good cholesterol); and triglycerides.
What should the numbers be?
o HDL should be 50mg or higher for women and 40mg or higher for men.
o LDL should be 100mg to160mg depending upon individual risk factors for heart disease. Less than 100mg is necessary if you have coronary heart disease or a condition that may put you at risk such as diabetes.
o Triglyceride levels should be under 150mg.
o Cholesterol level (total) should be under 200mg.
If you have been given the blood report by your doctor and your Cholesterol/HDL Ratio is 4.1, for example, a footnote will be added to the report stating that for a 3.1 to 10.0 ratio, the cardiovascular risk is high.
In some cases, individuals taking statins for cholesterol may have seen a drop in their overall cholesterol levels. However, there are instances in which the HDL level is far below the 50mg needed for good heart health. In fact, even with diet and exercise the level may still be too low.
In this case, a doctor may recommend taking a drug called Niaspan. What Niaspan does is raise the HDL levels while it lowers the LDL and triglyceride levels. Taken once a day, this drug has been shown to increase HDL by as much as 22% (based on a 2000mg daily dose). It lowers LDL by 14% and triglycerides by 28%.
Initially, you may be required to take 1000mg per day. This is an appropriate amount to begin the Niaspan regimen. Eventually, the doctor will increase the dosage to 2000mg per day.
For those of you who have been prescribed this drug, it is advised that you either take an aspirin or an Alka-Seltzer before taking Niaspan. Either one will mitigate the two most common side effects which are: severe flushing and itching.
In addition, it is recommended that you take Niaspan the same time every night - preferably before bedtime. Do not drink any hot liquids before or after taking the drug as it will cause the onset of the aforementioned side effects.
Once you have been on this drug for some time, not only will the HDL steadily increase to the 50mg level and then remain at that level, but you will no longer have to take an aspirin or Alka-Seltzer tablet with it. Blood tests will be required every three months to monitor progress.
Having a cholesterol level of 150 may be wonderful news, but if the HDL is lower than 50, and the triglycerides are higher than 150; it may be necessary to begin taking this type of medication to regulate and control these levels.
Lillian M. Varrassi is a writer and website owner of Health-Mind-Body.com. This site was created to provide a wealth of knowledge and advice on healthy living and self-healing thought for women. You will also find articles on health issues for children, men, and seniors. For more information, please visit: health-mind-body.com health-mind-body.com
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