Diagnostic cardiac blood tests Flashcards
Blood Lipid Profiles
- Total Cholesterol
- High Density Lipoproteins
- Low Density Lipoproteins
- Very low density Lipoproteins
- Triglycerides
What is cholesterol?
an essential fat:
- component of cell wall/cell fluidity
- precursor molecule for vit D, sex steroids
What is a desiriable level of total cholesterol?
< 200 mg/dL
What is a borderline high level of total cholesterol?
200-239 mg/dL
What is a high level of total cholesterol?
> 240 mg/dL
warrants pharmacologic management if lifestyle management won’t reduce.
HDL
- “the good cholesterol”
- transports fats/cholesterol out of artery walls and back to liver for disposal.
- transports cholesterol in the blood
- scavengres fats/cholesterol from blood and returns to liver for disposal
What HDL levels are desirable?
M/F: > 60 mg/dL
What HDL levels are “at risk?”
M: <40 mg/dL
F: <50 mg/dL
T/F: Aerobic exercise can increase HDL concentrations
True
LDLs
- can invade tunica interna of blood vessels and remain (atheroma)
- WBCs (macrophages) move into this area and establish a low grade inflammatory situation
- smooth muscles proliferate
- fibrous conn tissue accumulates
- forms atherosclerotic plaque
LDL: affects of plaque formation being self propagating
- increased LDLs and risk for CV disease
2. Increasing LDLs increases risk for atherosclerosis
How do you calculate LDL values?
LDL = Total cholesterol - HDL - (triglyceride/5)
Normal fasting Ranges for LDLs
- 100 mg/dL or less
Triglycerides
- glycerol plus 3 fatty acids
- saturated and unsaturated fats
High levels of triglycerides in the blood stream have been linked to:
atherosclerosis
heart disease
CVA
Saturated fats
Fat molecules w/o double bonds between carbon molecules because they are saturated w/hydrogen molecules
High levels of saturated fats increase risk for
Heart disease
CVA
Unsaturated Fats
Fat molecules w/1 or more double bond in the fatty acid chain
What are the types of unsaturated fats?
Monounsaturated
Polyunsaturated
Low melting point/fluid( liquid at room temp)
Trans Fatty Acids
Trans Fatty Acids
uncommon in nature but commonly produced industrially from vegetable fats.
Increased intake associated w/ increased risk for CVD
CIS fatty acids
- unsaturated
- generally good for health
- naturally occurring
- chains of carbon atoms on the same side of the double bond resulting in a “kink”
Triglycerides
Normal range: Low risk
< 150
Triglycerides
Borderline High
150-199
Triglycerides
High
200-499
Triglycerides
Very High: Highest Risk
> 500
Cholesterol Ratios
- Total Cholesterol / HDL
example:
(200 mg/dL) / (50 mg/dL) = 4:1
The lower the ratio, the lower the risk of heart disease
Cholesterol ratio recommendation
5:1 or lower
Total Cholesterol / HDL predictor for heart disease risk in men
- 43 = 1/2 avg risk
- 97 = avg risk
- 55 = 2x risk
- 39 = 3x risk
Cholesterol Testing: Men
- screen 20-35 for lipid disorders if increased risk of CHD
2. Screen all men > 35
Cholesterol Testing: Women
- screen 20-45 for lipid disorders if increased risk of CHD
2. Screen all women >45
Frequency of screening for cholesterol testing
every 5 years (or more based on results/risk)
When to test for cholesterol with children and adolescents
- at least once between 9 and 11 y.o.
2. again between 17 and 21 y.o.