Interpreting cholesterol labs: Key insights
Understanding a lipid or cholesterol panel
A lipid panel, also known as a cholesterol panel, is a blood test that is used to help evaluate ones risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and is composed of the following:
-Total cholesterol: The sum of all types of cholesterol in your blood.
-LDL (“bad”) cholesterol: The primary type of cholesterol that builds up in arteries and can cause blockages.
-HDL (“good”) cholesterol: Can help reduce cholesterol blockages in arteries.
-Triglycerides: A type of fat that can contribute to arteries hardening.
These different results help your doctor to determine your risk of cardiovascular disease, a group of diseases that affect your heart and blood vessels, including: coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), and peripheral artery disease among others.
When interpreting the results, it is important to take into consideration if the goal is primary prevention or secondary prevention. Primary prevention refers to trying to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place, and secondary prevention aims to prevent further damage to those who already have the disease.
Primary prevention
When dealing with prevention of cardiovascular disease, one of the main ways primary care doctors risk stratify patients is by calculating their 10 year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease score. This algorithm factors in the patients age, sex, smoking status, if they have diabetes, their blood pressure and if they are on treatment for high blood pressure, their total cholesterol, and their HDL cholesterol. The resulting score gives an estimated 10 year risk of a cardiovascular event (coronary or stroke death, or non-fatal heart attack or stroke). Based on this score, your doctor can discuss if you would benefit from primary prevention with statin medication, which is one of the main medications shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Secondary prevention
When someone has already had a heart attack, stroke, or has known coronary artery disease, then this information is used to optimize their risk of preventing further damage, which is known as secondary prevention. For example, if a patient has a history of a heart attack, their LDL goal may be less than 70 mg/dL and your doctor may recommend different levels of intensity statin medication or additional medication for maximal risk reduction.
What about lifestyle interventions?
It is important to emphasize that along with medication based on certain indications, lifestyle interventions are paramount for both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet and plant based diet have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 75-150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity, or 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, performed during 3-5 sessions per week, and resistance training at least 2 days per week. For reference, moderate-intensity activity would include activities like raking the yard, playing doubles tennis, recreational swimming, walking briskly. Vigorous-intensity activity would include jogging/running, singles tennis, swimming laps, or bicycling > 10 mph. Maintaining a healthy weight, normal blood pressure, and limiting alcohol use are other important lifestyle interventions to monitor.
Florida Direct Primary Care
At Florida Direct Primary Care, we take the time to truly listen, understand your concerns, and develop a personalized treatment plan that works for you. If you’re in the Saint Augustine or Jacksonville area and looking for a primary care doctor, contact us today to learn more about our practice. We can be reached by calling 904-650-2882 or through email at info@FloridaDPC.com.
This web site is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute the provision of medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating individual health problems or diseases. Those seeking medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.Ready to become a Florida DPC member? Click here to register.
