Detection of blood cholesterol

1. DETECTION OF BLOOD CHOLESTEROL
A.R.DEBORAH
I M.SC APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY
SCARED OF COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)
TIRUPATTUR

2. Cholesterol
• Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat like structure found in body which needs to
function properly. And it’s a type of lipid, Liver produces naturally.
• Body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D and
substances that help to digest foods.
• Cholesterol cant travel through blood on its own. To help transport, liver
produces lipoproteins.
• Lipoproteins are particles made from fat and protein. They carry
cholesterol and triglycerides through blood stream.

3. Two major form of Lipoproteins
1. Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
2. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

4. Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
• LDL is called as “BAD CHOLESTEROL” or “HIGH CHOLESTEROL”.
• LDL carries cholesterol to the arteries. If the level of LDL cholesterol are too high, it
can build up on the walls of the arteries. Buildup is known as cholesterol plaque.
• High cholesterol can lead to may health problems.

5. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)
• HDL is called as “GOOD CHOLESTEROL”.
• It helps to return LDL cholesterol to liver to be removed from body. And it
prevents cholesterol plaque from building up in the arteries.
• Healthy levels of HDL cholesterol help to lower the risk of blood clots,
heart disease and stroke.

6. Hypercholesterolemia symptoms
 No symptoms for the high cholesterol, so it is a silent problem to health.
 If blood clots, blocks artery in heart or brain, causes heart attack, stoke,
etc..
 So important to check the cholesterol level regularly.

7. Risk factors for high cholesterol
o Overweight or obese
o Eating an unhealthy diet
o Have a family heredity of high cholesterol
o Diabetes, kidney disease, or hypothyroidism
o Drinking alcohol frequently
o Smoking cigarettes
o Lack of exercise.

8. Complications of high cholesterol
 If left untreated, high cholesterol can cause plaque to build up in arteries. This
plaque can narrow the arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis.
 Atherosclerosis is a serious condition. It can limit the flow of blood through
arteries. It also raises risk of developing dangerous blood clots.
 Life-threatening complications, such as:
 Stoke
 Chest pain (angina) and Heart attack
 High blood pressure
 Chronic kidney and peripheral vascular disease.

9. Triglycerides
• Triglycerides are another type of fat (lipid) found in blood. They are
different from cholesterol.
• When we eat, Body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use
right away into triglycerides.
• The triglycerides are stored in fat cells.
• Hormones uses triglycerides as a source of energy between meals.

10. Cholesterol Test

11. Principle of cholesterol test
 A cholesterol test is a blood test which measures the amount
of each type of cholesterol.
 The cholesterol concentration in serum or plasma. In the
reaction, the cholesterol esterase hydrolyzes cholesterol
esters to free cholesterol and fatty acids. The free cholesterol
is oxidized to cholesten-3-one and hydrogen peroxide by
cholesterol oxidase.

12. Method of Reduction
 Generally, fasting is required, consuming no food or liquids other than
water, for 9 to12 hours before the test. Some cholesterol tests don't
require fasting, so follow doctor's instructions.
 The test is done in the morning since patient need to fast for the most
accurate results.
 Blood is drawn from a vein, usually from arm. With the help of elastic
band & needle with syringe.
 After collecting the blood, the centrifugation process will be done.

13.  The cholesterol kit contains; cholesterol reagent, cholesterol standard
concentration and laboratory items such as micropipettes, micro tips, tissue
papers, clean and try test tubes and patient sample.
 Assay procedure :
Blank Standard Test
Reagent 1000 ml 1000 ml 1000ml
Standard --- 10ml ---
Sample --- --- 10ml

14.  Take clean and dry test tube and label as blank, standard and test.
 Add the cholesterol reagent solution(1ml or1000 micro liter) in all the three test
tube.
 Add 10 micro liter of standard solution to standard test tube and mix the
component of the tube.
 Add 10 micro liter of patient sample to last tube(test) and mix the component of
tube.
 Incubate the tubes for 10 minutes at 37 degree C.
 The cholesterol level measuring instrument will be there in laboratories.

15.  The instrument is kept ready to measure the blank reading. Take the blank test
tube and through analyzer tube the blank solution is intake , after a small lag time
it will measure automatically.
 Take the second tube standard and through analyzer tube the standard solution is
intake and measure it automatically.
 Later, The test sample is analyzed and small lag time it measure automatically.
 Same way the LDL ,HDL , triglycerides will be measured.
 Now a days, In clinics they are using the digital instruments to measure cholesterol.

17. Cholesterol levels
 Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per
deciliter (dL) of blood.
 Normal values :
LDL : 70 to 130 mg / dL
HDL: more than 40 to 60 mg/dL
Cholesterol: less than 200 mg/dL
Triglycerides: 10 to 150 mg/dL

18. Treatment for triglycerides
Medications for high triglycerides such as:
Niacin
Niacin limits liver's ability to produce LDL and VLDL cholesterol. But niacin
doesn't provide additional benefits over statins. Niacin has also been linked
to liver damage and strokes, so most doctors now recommend it only for
people who can't take statins.
Some products contain a combination of drugs to help decrease body’s absorption of
cholesterol from foods and reduce liver’s production of cholesterol. One example is a
combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin (Vytorin).

19. Preventions
 Smoking tobacco and alcohol consumption should be stop.
 Avoid high-fat and high-sodium foods.
 Well-balanced diet should be followed. Like , eat a variety of vegetables,
fruits, whole-grain products, low-fat dairy products, and food contain
protein.
 Exercise regularly.

20. Medicines
o Medications to help lower cholesterol levels,
o Statins are the most commonly prescribed medications for high cholesterol. They
work by decreasing the levels of cholesterol in blood, especially low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol.
Examples of statins include: Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Fluvastatin (Lescol)
Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
Simvastatin (Zocor)
o Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice when statins taken by patient, Grapefruit
makes it harder for body to use these medicines.

21. Side effects
 Headache.
 Dizziness.
 Digestive system problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion.
 Muscle pain.
 Loss of appetite.