How To Keep Cholesterol Level Under Control?

Posted on Tue, 9 Sep 2014

Question: i hav cholestrol 192, triglyseides 259, hdl 37, ldl 96, vldl 96, ratio 2.61

what is your study of the reports. i exercise regularly walking,power yoga.

just 6 months before trigy was 190. others all in normal range. can trigy increase due to dairy products consumed a evening before .

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (17 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
explained

Detailed Answer:
Hello
I am Dr Mittal
I have read your query.
I will try to answer you as comprehensibly as possible.

The fact remains that lipid profile has to be seen in total.
Not just an individual report.
Now you say that previous triglyceride report was within the normal range.
But its almost borderline.

And if you look at the other reports- cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, are all high or just bordering within normal. Now that is not a healthy pattern. These levels should be as low as possible.
On the other hand, HDL is low. This is one level that should be high.

Overall I would say that you need to go for a diet control. You are already exercising as mentioned. So you know the significance of exercising already.

I would suggest starting a low dose of statins like atorvastatin. This will be taken for 2-3 months, in addition to diet control and exercising. If the repeat test after 2-3 months comes out normal, you can stop the medicine (however many experts suggest to continue these medicines). Thereafter continue diet and exercise and check your lipid profile regularly (atleast biannually)

I hope that helps
Please feel free to ask a follow up query.

Dr Mittal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (7 minutes later)

doc, is it ok if i do not take any medicines.

also does intake of dairy products influence triglyserides.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Can be avoided- specific answers

Detailed Answer:
Dairy products will increase the lipids all over. Not just triglycerides. You are probably confusing with alcohol which increases triglycerides.

Medicines can be avoided. However, make sure you re test your lipid profile sooner.

Best of luck
Dr Mittal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (54 minutes later)

Shall I redo the test not eating any

Dairy product. Why does triglycerides increase even though I take care of my diet ? Also many months before I used to drink 2 times a day milk . Is this a reason for the trigy increase .

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Specific answers

Detailed Answer:
I think I have already mentioned dear that dairy products increase all components of lipid profile, not just triglycerides. So do not blame your dairy intake so much for the rise in triglycerides. I have also tried to explain to you that lipid profile should be seen as a whole and not just one component. So do bear that in mind.

Ideally I would have never suggested lipid profile if the person is not fasting. In fact where I work, the lab staff has instructions to decline sample collection of any patient who is not fasting. So if your test was not fasting, I would say the test is invalid and you need to repeat the test.

If the report is indeed a fasting one, I think you should decide if you want to take the medicines or not. As explained before, if you take them you can repeat the test in 3 months. If not, the test will have to be repeated much sooner.

Best of luck

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar