HDL (HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN)
Description
- Males : > 40 mg/dl Females > 50 mg/dl
Clinical significance
- Commonly called good cholesterol HDL is not secreted into the circulation as mature lipoprotein but is assembled in the blood from components derived from intestine , liver , cell membranes and triglyceride rich lipoprotein during lipolysis .
- HDL acts as a scavenger by removing cholesterol from peripheral cells such as smooth muscles . It also provides protective benefits from its ability to influence the binding and absorption of LDL by cells such as smooth muscles .
- Women tend to have higher cholesterol than men. In general , an increased risk for heart diseases including heart attack occurs when the HDL level is less than 40 mg/dl. More specifically , men are at a particular risk if their HDL is below 37 mg/dl and women if their HDL is below 47 mg/dl
When to get tested
- As a screening test for adults with no risk factors for heart disease
- When a person has one or more risk factors for heart disease( Cigarette smoking, Being overweight or Obese, old age , Pre existing heart disease, diabetes)
Elevated level
- An HDL 60 mg/dl or above helps protect against heart disease.
Decreased level
- Low HDL levels may indicate an increased risk of Atherosclerotic heart disease .
Profile
Cardiac
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