Why is non-fasting results..... - High Cholesterol Message Board

AngelaNRichard · 10-15-2003, 09:25 AM

Why is non-fasting results not accurate?

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Angela(24) and Richard(30)
November 2001 Blood Test Results:

Total- 222
HDL- 80
LDL- 136
Triglyerides- 32
Blood Sugar- 73

Next Check-up on Oct 14th, 2003

ARIZONA73 · 10-15-2003, 08:23 PM

Well, for one thing, your triglycerides and blood sugar readings could fluctuate wildly, providing largely inaccurate test results. I'm not sure about the cholesterol readings, but I think fasting would reveal a far better baseline result overall.

zip2play · 10-16-2003, 07:21 AM

Angela,

As Arizona said, triglycderides fluctuate a lot depending on the last foods eaten and being digested.
UNFORTUNATELY, triglycerides are also used to compute some cholesterol numbers rather than directly measure them.
So if triglycerides are inaccurate, the whole picture is askew!

I think in a couple years all numbers will be directly measured and cholesterol results will be independent of the fast.

[This message has been edited by zip2play (edited 10-16-2003).]

pcovers · 10-16-2003, 02:00 PM

I have found that, after many many lipid tests, my Total and HDL show no discernable difference whether I have fasted or not. I have had a breakfast of toast, tea, juice and egg and within hours taken a TC and HDL and found them to be unaffected by what I have eaten.

However, as has been stated, trigs, and thus LDL as well, are affected by what you have recently eaten. Fasting would have an impact on these two results.

Any doctor that says your TC or HDL will be significanlty affected by not fasting would need to show me the proof of this. I don't think it is out there.

AngelaNRichard · 10-17-2003, 07:01 AM

Well,

I have proof that the total cholesterol (non fasting & fasting) are different....

When I had my non fast blood test in Nov 2001, my TC was 196.... when I had my fasting blood test in Nov 2001, my TC was 222. So, in my case, the #'s changed by 20 something points!!

------------------
Angela(24) and Richard(30)
November 2001 Blood Test Results:

Total- 222
HDL- 80
LDL- 136
Triglyerides- 32
Blood Sugar- 73

Next Check-up on Oct 14th, 2003