



This can lead to heart disease and stroke. This causes the vessels to narrow and they can eventually become blocked. Too much cholesterol circulating within LDL in our bloodstream leads to fatty deposits developing in the arteries. When we eat animal fats, the liver transports the fat, together with cholesterol in the form of lipoproteins, into our bloodstream. The liver is the main processing centre for cholesterol and dietary fat. Risk factors for high cholesterol include: There is no single cause of high cholesterol, but there are some controllable risk factors (smoking) and non-controllable risk factors (age).
#LDLCHOLESTEROL RANGE HOW TO#
Your doctor will talk to you about your cholesterol test results and how to lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. There are guidelines for target cholesterol levels in different people. This makes high blood cholesterol a major health concern in Australia. If you have cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, pre-existing cardiovascular (heart) disease or diabetes, or you smoke, the aim for LDL cholesterol levels would be less than 2 mmol/L.Īpproximately half of all adult Australians have a blood cholesterol level above 5 mmol/L. Total cholesterol levels should be lower than 5.5 mmol/L, if you have no other risk factors. Many factors influence your cholesterol levels. There are no symptoms for high cholesterol. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, speak to your doctor about your heart attack risk. You should have your cholesterol checked every 5 years from the age of 45 years, or from 18 years if you are an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. triglycerides, another type of fat in the blood.Your doctor can check your cholesterol levels through a blood test. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol – is called the ‘good’ cholesterol, because it helps remove excess cholesterol out of the cells, including cells in the arteries.It is called the ‘bad’ cholesterol because when its level in the bloodstream is high, it can lead to blockages that prevent blood flow to your heart. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – carries most of the cholesterol that is delivered to cells.

It is carried around the body by 2 key transport systems in the blood, which include: produce bile acids, which help the body digest fat and absorb important nutrients.Ĭholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance.help your metabolism work efficiently, for example, cholesterol is essential for your body to produce vitamin D.make hormones like oestrogen, testosterone and adrenal hormones.We need a small amount of blood cholesterol because the body uses it to: It is carried around in the blood by little ‘couriers’ called lipoproteins. Cholesterol is importantĬholesterol is produced by the liver and also made by most cells in the body. It is essential for many of the body’s metabolic processes, including the production of hormones, bile and vitamin D. Cholesterol is a type of fat that is part of all animal cells.
