Measuring your cholesterol levels can be done at home. This is done with a cholesterol meter. But in order to properly understand the results, some explanation will first be given about cholesterol itself.
LDL and HDL cholesterol
Cholesterol is a building block of the body. This produces hormones, bile and cells. Not only do we get this fatty substance from our food. The liver produces a large part of the cholesterol itself. Special proteins called lipoproteins, including LDL and HDL, bind to cholesterol so it can be transported through the blood. With the help of LDL, cholesterol is transported from the liver to the tissues via the blood. LDL in combination with cholesterol is therefore LDL cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol is called hypercholesterolemia. This does not immediately cause any complaints, but it is bad. The body fat sticks to the walls of the blood vessels. This causes narrowing.
HDL removes excess cholesterol from the blood and transports it to the liver. Here it is broken down and then disappears from the body through the feces and bile. HDL cholesterol is therefore known as good cholesterol, because it prevents an excess of LDL cholesterol. A low LDL cholesterol and a high HDL cholesterol are therefore desirable. The two terms are often confused. A useful mnemonic is to link the letter L of LDL cholesterol to 'loser' and to link the letter H of HDL cholesterol to 'hero'.
Measuring cholesterol
Cholesterol can be tested in different ways. For example, at the doctor's office, via a self-test or with the help of a cholesterol meter. We explain more about testing based on the Wellion Luna Trio cholesterol meter. The advantage is that many of these devices measure not only cholesterol, but also glucose and uric acid. This Wellion Luna Trio meter only checks the total cholesterol. An extensive cholesterol measurement by the GP, for example, looks at specific values, such as LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and the number of triglycerides.
Test with a cholesterol meter
The cholesterol meter works on the basis of a device, a lancing device, a control solution and a set of test strips (can be ordered separately). First the cholesterol meter must be calibrated. The test strip packaging contains a unique code strip. This strip is put into the device. This allows you to verify that the code on the screen matches the code on the test strip package. After this code strip is removed, the test strip is attached to the meter.
The user's finger should first be cleaned with water, soap and alcohol. A lancing device is then held against the finger, and it is recommended to take the side of the finger. This is experienced as less painful. To ensure a clean measurement, the first few drops of blood are removed with a clean tissue. By squeezing the finger yourself, a new drop becomes visible on the skin surface. The finger is then held against the end of the test strip, allowing the blood to be aspirated. The total cholesterol result will then appear on the screen after approximately 25 seconds. 50 cholesterol test results can be stored on the device.
Each time a new set of test strips is used, a control solution is used to check whether the test results on the screen correspond to the expected test results stated on the test strip packaging. Instead of a drop of blood, a sample from the control solution is tested. If the results do not match between the device and the test strip package, then there is something wrong with the meter test strip or the control solution. It is also possible that the user did not follow the instructions properly. However, the use of control solution is not necessary for every cholesterol test.
Total cholesterol results
Total cholesterol is the sum of the 'bad' LDL cholesterol and the 'good' HDL cholesterol. In addition, the cholesterol ratio can be calculated with the total cholesterol. This is done by dividing the total cholesterol by the HDL cholesterol. Personal characteristics of the tester ultimately determine which values are normal. This affects the risk of cardiovascular disease. Age, hematocrit values and gender also play a role. Did you know that women naturally have higher HDL cholesterol than men?
There are therefore no normal cholesterol values, but the Heart Foundation and the Nutrition Center do use target values that can be taken as a starting point. The total cholesterol is checked for excessively high values. Too low total cholesterol almost never occurs, because the liver produces cholesterol itself. Low values are therefore quite harmless. The Wellion cholesterol meter has a range between 2,6 and 10,3 mmol/l. The following target values for total cholesterol can be used:
Below 5,0 mmol/l = Normal
Between 5,0 and 6,4 mmol/l = Slightly Increased
Between 6,5 and 7,9 mmol/l = Increased
Higher than 8,0 mmol/l = Highly Increased
I measured my cholesterol at 3,28, which is too high, which is the normal value.