Hdl high what does it mean

Your doctor should ask you questions about your family to understand if your high HDL could be inherited. If members of your family, including your parents, grandparents and siblings, have lived for a long time, this is reassuring. If you have a family history of heart disease or strokes, your doctor may want to refer you to a lipid specialist.

This is inherited in the genes. Research has suggested that the changes in hormones that happen during the menopause can affect the way HDL works in the body, and HDL loses some of its protective effects in some women. Recent research has suggested that HDL cholesterol changes in some situations, such as acute infection infection which starts suddenly and chronic long term conditions linked to inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

More research is needed to fully understand why. Other research suggests that high HDL cholesterol may be harmful if you are having dialysis for kidney disease, as it may make inflammation and tissue damage worse. If your total cholesterol is over 7.

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These are usually taken to lower LDL, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels. Medication types that have been linked to increased HDL levels include:. Increasing HDL levels is usually a positive side effect in people who have low HDL levels as in most cases, it decreases their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

A blood test can determine your HDL levels. In addition to an HDL test, your doctor will also look for LDL and triglyceride levels as a part of an overall lipid profile.

Your total levels will also be measured. Results usually take just a few days to process. All these factors can lead to inaccurate measurements of HDL in the blood. You may need to wait several weeks before taking a cholesterol test to make sure the results are correct. The action plan depends largely on how high your levels are, as well as your overall medical history. Your doctor can help determine whether you need to actively lower HDL levels or not.

The American Heart Association recommends that everyone over the age of 20 gets a cholesterol test every four to six years. You may need to test more frequently if you have risk factors for high cholesterol, such as family history.