Incidence of high serum cholesterol is increasing worldwide. This is due to alterations in lifestyle and food habits. High serum cholesterol is a risk factor for many disease. It increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.The interesting factor is that it is a controllable risk factor.
Normal value
Total serum cholesterol
Desirable level <200mg/dl
Borderline level 200 to 239mg/dl
High risk level > 240mg/dl
Fasting stating is preferred for LDL cholesterol checking. HDL and total cholesterol can be measured non fasting state. Cholesterol level is determined by lipid metabolism. Which in turn is affected by heredity, diet,liver kidney and thyroid disease.
Conditions where you get high serum cholesterol
1. Primary disorders of cholesterol metabolism.
- Polygenic hypercholesterolemia
- Familial hyperlipidemia.
2. Secondary causes of elevated cholesterol.
- Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
- Hypothyroidism
- Biliary obstruction
- Anorexia nervosa
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Drugs corticosteroid
- Conditions with low serum cholesterol
- Severe liver disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Severe acute and chronic illnesses
- Malnutrition and malabsorption
- Familial causes
