| Calculating cholesterol levels in the blood has been | | | | in the United Kingdom recommend a level of |
| used for many years as a good indicator of the | | | | below 5 for people with normal health and below |
| health of the cardiovascular system. Scientists | | | | 4 if there is any evidence or family history of any |
| have now refined some of these tests to be a | | | | cardiovascular conditions or diseases. |
| more accurate predictor of specific heart and | | | | Some doctors will also use your cholesterol ratio |
| blood circulation conditions and diseases. | | | | as another way of indicating the health of your |
| Traditionally doctors measure three levels in the | | | | blood circulation system and it's pump, your heart. |
| blood and from these they calculate two more. | | | | Your cholesterol ratio is calculated by dividing your |
| They test for total cholesterol, for high density | | | | total cholesterol level by the high density |
| lipoproteins and for triglycerides. From these | | | | lipoproteins. Doctors like to see this cholesterol |
| readings they can determine the low density | | | | ratio to be less than 5 to 1, that is your high |
| lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein levels | | | | density or HDL levels should be at least twenty |
| in the blood. | | | | per cent of your total cholesterol. |
| The low density lipoprotein is worked out by a | | | | Researchers have now developed new techniques |
| simple calculation. It is done this way due to cost | | | | for calculating cholesterol which they say are |
| implications of accurately measuring it individually. | | | | more accurate at predicting the onset of |
| Take your total cholesterol level and subtract the | | | | atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. They |
| high density lipoproteins and twenty per cent of | | | | have identified two specific lipoproteins in the |
| your triglycerides - this gives you your low | | | | blood that are linked to these diseases. The first |
| density lipoprotein score. This has been found to | | | | they have called apolipoprotein A and levels in the |
| be the easiest way to measure low density or | | | | blood in excess of thirty milligrams per litre are a |
| LDL and the result only becomes unreliable if your | | | | warning sign of coronary artery or heart disease. |
| triglyceride levels are really high. | | | | The second test is for apolipoprotein B and this |
| Different countries will also express these | | | | they have discovered shows the start of plaque |
| measurements differently. In the United States | | | | deposits in the blood vessels and so is a predictor |
| the levels are given in millimoles per liter or | | | | for atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. |
| milligrams per deciliter whereas other countries | | | | Scientists have now developed accurate tests to |
| including the United Kingdom tend to use the | | | | measure both apolipoproteins A and B and this will |
| International Unit system of measurements. By | | | | become the standard for calculating cholesterol in |
| comparison the international unit of 5.18 is | | | | the future. |
| equivalent to 200 milligrams per deciliter. Doctors | | | | |