What Is A Fasting Lipid Test?

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:27:10 +0000

A fasting lipid test is the blood test taken after a sixteen hour fast to measure the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that plays an important role as part of the outer lining (membrane) of cells in the human body. Nearly all of our cholesterol is produced in the liver, and is transported around the body in the bloodstream to the body’s cells by special proteins called lipoproteins. Cholesterol is unable to dissolve in blood without the help of lipoproteins.

The two main groups of lipoproteins are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Cholesterol is found mainly in foods of animal origin, including dairy products, meat, poultry and fish. LDL has the job of carrying most of our cholesterol around in the blood.

Doctors often refer to LDL cholesterol as ‘bad’ cholesterol, because a high level of LDL cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. This can happen because LDL causes cholesterol to accumulate and harden on the artery walls, leading eventually to thickening of the artery walls and narrowing of the arteries, the process of

If our coronary arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscles are affected they can become incapable of supplying enough blood and oxygen to the heart muscle under certain conditions, e.g. during exercise. Lack of oxygen (ischaemia) to the heart muscle causes muscle cramp and chest pain . In the worst-case scenario, formation of a blood clot in the coronary artery can cause a complete blockage of the artery, leading to death of heart muscle (heart attack). HDL on the other hand is extremely helpful to us by actually removing cholesterol from our artery walls, and protecting us from atherosclerosis.

Doctors refer to HDL cholesterol as ‘good’ cholesterol, high levels being desirable, while low HDL cholesterol increases our risk of coronary heart disease. Remember, cholesterol is but ONE risk factor for heart disease. What is a ‘safe level’ for you is dependent on other personal factors, such as your smoking history, blood pressure, weight, whether or not you have, any family history of early coronary heart disease and your age.

You could discuss whether or not to have such a test with your doctor. If you discover that you are at an increased risk, they will be able to explain how you can best help yourself for the rest of your life.

Yours sincerely

Dr John Pillinger

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Health Insurance And High Cholesterol

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:40:56 +0000

One in five Americans has high cholesterol ; this is virtually 105 million people. The Doctors’ first line is is to lower cholesterol levels by prescribing medicines. This is understandable even though diet and exercise are the best paths to reduce bad cholesterol.

High Cholesterol will put you at twice the likelihood of coronary disease which is the number one health problem for both men and females America. High Cholesterol levels put people in danger for other sicknesses to incorporate strokes and type two Diabetes. Heart Disease and Strokes are the number 1 and number 3 perpetrators of early death in America. With this knowledge underwriters are extraordinarily particular who they approve for medicare coverage with high cholesterol levels.

Underwriters for Health insurance corporations typically like to see total cholesterol below two hundred with LDL cholesterol below a hundred. They also look closely at behavioral characteristics like smoker/non smoker, alcohol consumption, and if you are following a diet to govern your cholesterol levels. This is looked at really positively by the underwriters. These areas all factor into whether you will be authorized, rated, or presumably declined.

What are the health insurance options available for those who are challenged with high cholesterol?
These plans are sometimes times limited benefit plans with high deductibles and low benefit coverage and are offered at a higher premium cost than normal insurance.

Indemnity plans are also an option offered where the underwriting qualifications are less stringent so approvals are never your one concern. The indemnity plan will pay a certain amount per day while in the hospice or a fixed amount for charges as outlined in the firms outline of benefits plan. These sorts of plans can leave you dangerously under insured. Imagine making an attempt to cover an ICU bill for 10 days with a $1000 every day coverage. Yes, you will be awfully disappointed when you get your last bill.

After totaling all the fees for the surgeon, helper surgeon, antheseoligist, blood panels, MRI, Pussy scan, and all other charges, the costs, the little amount your Indemnity or Limited Benefit Plan pays will not be much satisfaction at the end of the day.

It isn’t surprising to find out that Bankruptcies due to medical bills increased by virtually fifty % in a six-year period, from 46 percent in 2001 to 62 % in 2007, and almost all of people that went bankrupt were white collar, well-educated house owners, according to a statement that may be broadcast in the August issue of The Yank Book of Drugs . The program is a Group Managed Healthcare program through Green Cross. Green Cross is an innovative Accredited Disease Management Company that offers medicare benefits through a twin work process with a Countrywide Job Agency. Green Cross Managed Health Care has been handling prolonged care patients for the last 6 years. They are committed to providing reasonable medicare benefits for those who could have been dropped, rated, or without affordable healthcare benefits.

Learn More:
Group Managed Healthcare
High Cholesterol Health Insurance

Damien Bruce enjoys creative writing and blogging about topics in the healthcare field.

How To Treat High Cholesterol » Health

What Is A Fasting Lipid Test?

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Health Insurance And High Cholesterol

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