Cardiac blood flow

Full Cholesterol Profile

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is essential to the human body.  It is needed for a variety of important functions including forming part of the structure of every cell in the body as well as hormone synthesis and proper brain and nerve functioning.  Cholesterol can be made from protein, fats or carbohydrates.  Even if you avoided all the foods which contained cholesterol, your body would still produce enough for it to perform the above functions essential to life. 

Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver.  It is then transported through the bloodstream to where it is needed.  Cholesterol is a fatty substance, and, as such, it binds to certain molecules called lipoproteins to travel around. 

Low density lipoproteins (LDL) are the major transporters of cholesterol in the blood. However, these do tend to encourage the deposit of cholesterol in the bloodstream.  As a result, LDL, is known as ‘bad cholesterol’. 

Other molecules in the blood called high density lipoproteins (HDL) are considered to be ‘good cholesterol’ because they carry unneeded cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver.  If the liver is functioning properly, this cholesterol will be broken down and removed from the body.  However if there is too much cholesterol for HDLs to pick up, either from diet or genetic makeup, then cholesterol deposited in the bloodstream by LDLs can accumulate to artery walls and may eventually increase the risks of heart disease.

What are the risk factors?

Cholesterol is greatly influenced by diet.  An increase in the risk of high levels of bad cholesterol can be caused by a diet high in cheese, meats, sugar, processed/packaged foods, cholesterol rich foods (more than 4 eggs per week, shellfish, pate, caviar, offal), alcohol, smoking. 

Genetic makeup and/or a family history of high blood pressure/heart disease can  also increase the risk of high levels of bad cholesterol to be present in the body.

Symptoms?

There are no symptoms of high ‘bad cholesterol’ levels.  Although sometimes chest pains brought on by exertion (angina) can be felt. The only time some people realised their bad cholesterol levels are high if they have a heart attack or stroke.  

How does the test work?

Testing for a breakdown of your ‘good cholesterol’, ‘bad cholesterol’, and tryglyceride (fat) levels in the body is done through a blood test.

Pricing

Description		Price
Total Cholesterol		£45.00
Cardiovascular Health Profile		£140.00
Comprehensive Cardiovascular Assessment		£230.00
Homocysteine		£70.00

To order test go to Having a Test