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cholesterol
how do you find the 'ratio' of LDL/HDL and what should it be
The ratio of LDL and HDL is calculated by dividing the total cholesterol by HDL. For example if the cholesterol is 180 and HDL 82 then the cholesterol ratio is 2.2. An inappropriate ratio leads to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Thank you for your reply. I'm not sure what you mean by "but because of the cells saturation, LDL will end up by “letting go” of the cholesterol molecules in the blood"
Here is a very clear and basic example that I've found regarding the formation of atherosclerosis. Every source I look at seems to suggest that the artery lining has to be damaged for atherosclerosis to begin, but it is also stated that the exact process of atherosclerosis are unknown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLonh7ZesKs
Here is a very clear and basic example that I've found regarding the formation of atherosclerosis. Every source I look at seems to suggest that the artery lining has to be damaged for atherosclerosis to begin, but it is also stated that the exact process of atherosclerosis are unknown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLonh7ZesKs
I am not sure that I understood your question, but I think that you are confused with the real roles of HDL and LDL.
The cholesterol is either produced in the body or taken with food. Body cells need this cholesterol for their metabolism so it has to be transferred from the liver to the body cells. However, cholesterol particles can not mix with the blood. They are like drops of oil in a glass of water. To get mixed in the blood, they have to be coated by a layer of protein complex named lipoprotein.
As you said, there are two types of lipoprotein: the low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the high density lipoprotein (HDL). The first one moves the cholesterol to the body cells while the second one brings it back to the liver.
In case of high level of LDL, the particles will be moving in the blood around the body searching for cells that needs cholesterol, but because of the cells saturation, LDL will end up by “letting go” of the cholesterol molecules in the blood. These molecules should be taken by HDL to bring them back to the liver. The higher the level of LDL, the slower will be the process of cholesterol “recuperation” by HDL. Consequently, the cholesterol molecules (which can’t be dissolved in the blood) will accumulate on the walls of blood vessels. The continuous accumulation of the cholesterol on blood walls will lead to atherosclerosis and plaque formation.
As you can see, the higher the level of LDL, the faster will be the process of atherosclerosis. However, some people might have high readings of both LDL and HDL, so the process would not happen quickly. This is the role of HDL/LDL ratio. I will try to explain it with an example:
LDL: 150mg/dl (normal) HDL: 50mg/dl (normal) ratio: 50/150=0.33
LDL: 200mg/dl (high) HDL: 50mg/dl ratio: 50/200=0.25
LDL: 200mg/dl HDL: 70mg/dl (high) ration: 70/200=0.35
The ratio is a way to calculate the ability of HDL to “clean” the blood from “dropped” cholesterol. Readings should exceed 0.3. As you can see, the LDL readings were both high in the second and third case. However, the ratio was low in the second case and ideal in the third case. In other words, a patient with the second readings has a high risk to develop atherosclerosis while a patient with the third readings has no risk despite his high LDL level.
However, the ratio can not always be taken into account. In many cases, associated medical conditions influence greatly the ideal LDL level and here is how:
If You Have You Are in Category And Your LDL Goal Is
Heart disease, diabetes, or a risk score higher than 20% I. Highest risk Less than 100 mg/dL
Two or more risk factors and a risk score 10%–20% II. Next highest risk Less than 130 mg/dL
Two or more risk factors and a risk score lower than 10% III. Moderate risk Less than 130 mg/dL
One or no risk factors IV. Low to moderate risk Less than 160 mg/dL
One last thing to add, the spread of atherosclerosis is not related to the duration or the speed of cholesterol molecules precipitation on the vascular walls. Some have shown multiple vessels injury at a relatively younger age, while many middle aged patients barely complained from a stenosis in an arterial branch. They had the same lifestyle, but genetic predisposition played a major role in their case.
I hope I have been of some help. If you have any queries, please feel free to ask. I will be glad to answer you as much as I can.
The cholesterol is either produced in the body or taken with food. Body cells need this cholesterol for their metabolism so it has to be transferred from the liver to the body cells. However, cholesterol particles can not mix with the blood. They are like drops of oil in a glass of water. To get mixed in the blood, they have to be coated by a layer of protein complex named lipoprotein.
As you said, there are two types of lipoprotein: the low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the high density lipoprotein (HDL). The first one moves the cholesterol to the body cells while the second one brings it back to the liver.
In case of high level of LDL, the particles will be moving in the blood around the body searching for cells that needs cholesterol, but because of the cells saturation, LDL will end up by “letting go” of the cholesterol molecules in the blood. These molecules should be taken by HDL to bring them back to the liver. The higher the level of LDL, the slower will be the process of cholesterol “recuperation” by HDL. Consequently, the cholesterol molecules (which can’t be dissolved in the blood) will accumulate on the walls of blood vessels. The continuous accumulation of the cholesterol on blood walls will lead to atherosclerosis and plaque formation.
As you can see, the higher the level of LDL, the faster will be the process of atherosclerosis. However, some people might have high readings of both LDL and HDL, so the process would not happen quickly. This is the role of HDL/LDL ratio. I will try to explain it with an example:
LDL: 150mg/dl (normal) HDL: 50mg/dl (normal) ratio: 50/150=0.33
LDL: 200mg/dl (high) HDL: 50mg/dl ratio: 50/200=0.25
LDL: 200mg/dl HDL: 70mg/dl (high) ration: 70/200=0.35
The ratio is a way to calculate the ability of HDL to “clean” the blood from “dropped” cholesterol. Readings should exceed 0.3. As you can see, the LDL readings were both high in the second and third case. However, the ratio was low in the second case and ideal in the third case. In other words, a patient with the second readings has a high risk to develop atherosclerosis while a patient with the third readings has no risk despite his high LDL level.
However, the ratio can not always be taken into account. In many cases, associated medical conditions influence greatly the ideal LDL level and here is how:
If You Have You Are in Category And Your LDL Goal Is
Heart disease, diabetes, or a risk score higher than 20% I. Highest risk Less than 100 mg/dL
Two or more risk factors and a risk score 10%–20% II. Next highest risk Less than 130 mg/dL
Two or more risk factors and a risk score lower than 10% III. Moderate risk Less than 130 mg/dL
One or no risk factors IV. Low to moderate risk Less than 160 mg/dL
One last thing to add, the spread of atherosclerosis is not related to the duration or the speed of cholesterol molecules precipitation on the vascular walls. Some have shown multiple vessels injury at a relatively younger age, while many middle aged patients barely complained from a stenosis in an arterial branch. They had the same lifestyle, but genetic predisposition played a major role in their case.
I hope I have been of some help. If you have any queries, please feel free to ask. I will be glad to answer you as much as I can.
I have to ask a question here which I hope someone can answer.
LDL is the low density lipoprotein which gives a necessary supply of fat to cells all over the body. HDL is the high density lipoprotein which gathers up the excess fat from body cells. It doesn't literally act like a 'plough' and scoop up raw fat on artery walls. HDL doesn't therefore directly affect LDL because all it does is remove the excess fats when a cell attracts it. It comes across that these are two independant systems. One removes excess fat from cells, one supplies it, but no relationship between the two directly. Why do we worry about a ratio?
With what I have read about atherosclerosis, the amount of LDL doesn't really matter. In real terms with the numbers we see, the differences are not that massive between people. Yet it is claimed if we have 'slightly' less LDL then atherosclerosis will be harder to form. When you read how atheroscerosis forms, this claim seems to be totally illogical. It would seem that no matter how little cholesterol you have, you can form atherosclerosis.
If people do develop atherosclerosis, wouldn't it be beneficial for the cholesterol level to be very high? to highlight the problem much quicker? If, as is claimed, a lower level of cholesterol means the disease will progress more slowly, then isn't this a huge danger?
Let's say you start to suffer high stress levels today due to a new career. Someone else in another company starts the same type of job, but has low cholesterol and you have high. In a short period of time, you will develop angina and probably require stenting. The
person with low cholesterol would have much longer for the disease to form. However, isn't there a danger it would have time to be much more widespread in that time? Coating much more of the arteries? This would make long term recovery much harder.
So, I wonder if any research has been done on this?
LDL is the low density lipoprotein which gives a necessary supply of fat to cells all over the body. HDL is the high density lipoprotein which gathers up the excess fat from body cells. It doesn't literally act like a 'plough' and scoop up raw fat on artery walls. HDL doesn't therefore directly affect LDL because all it does is remove the excess fats when a cell attracts it. It comes across that these are two independant systems. One removes excess fat from cells, one supplies it, but no relationship between the two directly. Why do we worry about a ratio?
With what I have read about atherosclerosis, the amount of LDL doesn't really matter. In real terms with the numbers we see, the differences are not that massive between people. Yet it is claimed if we have 'slightly' less LDL then atherosclerosis will be harder to form. When you read how atheroscerosis forms, this claim seems to be totally illogical. It would seem that no matter how little cholesterol you have, you can form atherosclerosis.
If people do develop atherosclerosis, wouldn't it be beneficial for the cholesterol level to be very high? to highlight the problem much quicker? If, as is claimed, a lower level of cholesterol means the disease will progress more slowly, then isn't this a huge danger?
Let's say you start to suffer high stress levels today due to a new career. Someone else in another company starts the same type of job, but has low cholesterol and you have high. In a short period of time, you will develop angina and probably require stenting. The
person with low cholesterol would have much longer for the disease to form. However, isn't there a danger it would have time to be much more widespread in that time? Coating much more of the arteries? This would make long term recovery much harder.
So, I wonder if any research has been done on this?
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