Cholesterol Screening

Understanding Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found naturally in the blood. It is mainly produced in the liver and we also absorb cholesterol from our foods such as red meat, high fat cheese, butter and eggs.

Cholesterol is essential for good health and only becomes a problem when the level in your blood is too high.  High cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease, for example raised blood pressure and heart attack.

Raised cholesterol is a common problem, but there are a lot of things that we can suggest to help lower your cholesterol.

Following a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to lower blood cholesterol, which is a risk factor in the development of heart disease.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol is transported around the blood in ‘vehicles’ called lipoproteins. There are two main types of lipoproteins:

• LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the ‘bad‘ type of cholesterol. When there is too much LDL cholesterol in the blood, it can slowly build up in the arteries, making them narrower, which increases the risk of heart disease.  You should aim to lower your levels of LDL. You can do this by eating healthily.
• HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the ‘good‘ type of cholesterol. It helps to remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream and returns it to the liver where it is broken down and passed out of the body.

There are two simple tests that Spirit Occupational Heath carries out to determine your Cholesterol levels. These can be done either on-site, in our mobile screening unit or in our clinic at your convenience. The results and advice will be explained in easy-to-understand terms to help you manage your cholesterol.