Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the fats (lipids) in the bloodstream and in all the cells of your body.  Cholesterol is important for your good health because it helps form cell membranes, some hormones, and other types of tissues.  A high level of cholesterol in your blood, however, poses a major risk for coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack.

Cholesterol and other fats can’t dissolve in blood.  They have to be carried into and out of the cells by special carriers of lipids and proteins called lipoproteins.  The two major lipoproteins, and the ones to be most concerned about, are high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

HDL is often called "good cholesterol" because it’s thought to actually remove excess cholesterol from atherosclerotic plaques.
LDL is often referred to as "bad cholesterol" because it can slowly build up within the walls of the arteries.

Cholesterol has only two sources: It is either produced in the body (primarily by the liver) or found in foods that come from animals (meats, dairy products, poultry, fish and seafood).  Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) do not contain cholesterol.

High cholesterol is the most publicized risk factor for heart disease.  Its fame is well deserved since high cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart attack by 2.4 times.

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Those at Risk

More than half of Americans -- including Mexican-, African-, and European-Americans – can expect to see their cholesterol levels rise significantly by the time they reach middle age.

The percentage of Americans with high cholesterol levels is approximately 20% -- significantly higher than Asians and people of the South Pacific region where only about 7% of the population experience this problem.  Simply having been raised in the U.S. is a risk factor.

Additional risk factors include: the typical high-fat, high-protein, low- fiber American diet; obesity and a sedentary lifestyle; and, of course, high cholesterol.

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Warning Signs

There really are no warning signs for high cholesterol levels.  When symptoms finally do occur, they usually take the form of angina or a heart attack in response to the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

This is a condition that demands an investment in prevention before dangerous, life-threatening symptoms occur.

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HDL Cholesterol

Approximately one-third to one-fourth of your blood cholesterol is transported through your bloodstream by high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it passes harmlessly from the body. It is also believed that HDL actually removes excess cholesterol from atherosclerotic plaques already formed, and this slows their growth. Because of its very positive benefits, HDL is often called the "good" cholesterol.

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LDL Cholesterol

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. When a person has too much LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood, it can slowly build up within the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog the arteries, causing a condition known as atherosclerosis. The formation of a clot (or thrombus) in the region of this plaque can block the flow of blood to part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the flow of blood to part of the brain, the result is a stroke.

A high level of LDL cholesterol reflects an increased risk of heart disease. That is why LDL cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol.

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Triglycerides

Triglycerides are the chemical form of most fat as it exists in the food you eat and the fat that is stored in your body. They are also carried through the bloodstream and are derived from fats eaten in foods or made in the body from other energy sources like carbohydrates. Calories ingested in a meal, and not used immediately by tissues, are converted to triglycerides and transported to fat cells to be stored. Hormones regulate the release of triglycerides from fat tissue so they can meet the body’s needs for energy between meals.

Most of your body’s fat tissue is in the form of triglycerides. High blood triglyceride levels, by themselves, usually do not raise your risk of heart disease. Your triglyceride level is, however, one factor that is used in determining your LDL cholesterol. Many people who have a high triglyceride level also have high LDL cholesterol along with low HDL cholesterol.

For this reason, an entire cholesterol "panel" of tests must be conducted in order to accurately determine the relationship between all the components. Only in this way can you get a complete "cholesterol profile."

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What is Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), also known as coronary artery disease (CAD), is any one of several abnormal conditions that affects the arteries of the heart due to insufficient blood supply and a reduced flow of oxygen. When a coronary artery is lacking oxygen due to an interruption in the blood supply (usually caused by a blood clot or plaque build up inside the artery), an infarct can occur. An infarct is tissue death, it is permanent damage, and, in its severest form will kill the patient.

The most common kind of coronary heart disease is atherosclerosis. It underlies most causes of heart disease and death. It is a disorder characterized by the accumulation and deposit of cholesterol and lipids in the artery wall.

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What are its Symptoms?

A therosclerosis, by itself, does not necessarily produce any symptoms. For symptoms to develop there must be a critical decrease in the blood supply to the heart in proportion to the demand of the heart for oxygen (a supply and demand imbalance). Often symptoms of CHD do not appear until a coronary artery is narrowed by 75 per cent.

One of the classic symptoms of CHD, angina pectoris, is often described as "chest pain that radiates to the left arm, neck, jaw, and shoulder blade." It results from a lack of blood and oxygen reaching the heart when the arteries become lined with plaque.

The way to prevent symptoms like angina pectoris is the same as preventing CHD - decrease the risk factors.

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What are its Causes?

While some causes of CHD have been identified, they are still poorly understood. There are several risk factors, however, that are known to contribute to the disease and they are easily categorized; those that cannot be changed, or "non-modifiable" risk factors, and those that can be changed, or "modifiable" risk factors.

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What are Non-modifiable Risk Factors?

Heredity - Genetic factors contribute to the increased incidence of coronary heart disease.

Age - CHD usually appears in people over 40, but it can develop in people while they are still in their 20’s or 30’s.

Gender - CHD affects more men than women, and occurs in more whites than non-whites. The use of oral contraceptives in women also increases the risk.

Diabetes represents an increased risk of CHD because it leads to early atherosclerosis. For women, in particular, diabetes is a contributing factor in the development of CHD.

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What are Modifiable Risk Factors?

Cigarette Smoking - One of the three major risk factors in CHD is smoking. All smokers have 2 to 6 times the risk of heart attack than do nonsmokers, and 2 to 4 times the risk of sudden cardiac death. There is less risk associated with pipe and cigar smoking.

High Blood Pressure - Although high blood pressure cannot always be prevented, it can and should be treated in order to lower the risk of CHD and premature death.

Elevated Cholesterol - An elevated cholesterol level definitely increases the risk of developing CHD. A person with a cholesterol level greater than 259 is three times more likely to develop CHD than one with a level of 200. People with high levels of HDL cholesterol in proportion to LDL cholesterol are less likely to develop CHD than are those with low HDL cholesterol. High concentrations of HDL seem to have a protective effect against the development of CHD. Experts believe that HDL cholesterol does not become incorporated into the fatty plaques that develop in the lining of the artery wall (as does LDL cholesterol).

Obesity - Obesity places an extra burden on the heart, requiring it to work even harder (thus increasing the risk of CHD). In addition, obesity is often associated with a sedentary lifestyle, elevated cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Physical Inactivity - Exercise may reduce the risk of CHD by decreasing weight, reducing blood pressure, and elevating the protective HDL cholesterol.

Stress - Stress appears to be associated with elevated blood pressures. Although moderate stress occurs in modern life, excessive stress can be a health hazard.

Unhealthy Diet - CHD occurs more frequently in those whose regular diet is high in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Research shows that other factors that possibly contribute to the risk of CHD are excessive alcohol consumption, coffee consumption, and deficiencies in vitamins C and E.

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Why Do I Need to Make Changes Now?

Even though you show no signs of heart disease today doesn't mean you won't develop any in the future. Now is the time for prevention. Otherwise, a high cholesterol level, along with other risk factors, can lead to problems in the future.

If you already have heart disease you should pay even more attention to your cholesterol levels because you have a greater risk of experiencing a heart attack.

Coronary Heart Disease kills more men and women than any other disease. Changes you make now in your life, like lowering your cholesterol levels, can significantly reduce your risk.

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Which Cholesterol Test is Right for Me?

The National Cholesterol Education Program advises that if you are older than 20 you should have a Total Cholesterol test. If your test results are in the desirable range, you can be re-tested as early as every 2 years.

If you have known borderline or high cholesterol levels and you already have evidence of CHD and/or two or more of the other risk factors, you should order the Cholesterol Panel. In addition, you should get a thorough medical evaluation by a health care professional.

If you are currently being treated with cholesterol-lowering medications, you may need to have your cholesterol panel re-tested (initially) as often as every 3 months. You should also have a Liver Enzyme Panel test performed to determine if your cholesterol reduction treatment is working effectively.

Test results provide important information, but never adjust your medication(s) based on the test results alone. Always consult with your health care professional before making any changes in your treatment.

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About The Test - The Testing Procedure

The BIOSAFE Cholesterol Panel blood test is a laboratory procedure that measures the amount of total cholesterol in your blood, the amount of HDL cholesterol, your triglyceride level, and then accurately computes your LDL cholesterol value. This is the most comprehensive form of cholesterol testing available. Comparing the results of your initial Cholesterol Panel test to the results of subsequent tests can determine the progress you’ve made in reducing your overall coronary risk.

The specimen collection process is quick, easy and virtually painless. Using the special lancet (included in the BIOSAFE Blood Collection Kit), a couple of drops of blood are taken from a nick of a finger and deposited onto a special collection card. The card is then sent to BIOSAFE Laboratories for analysis. BIOSAFE tests your blood sample to see how much total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides are present and then mails the results back to you in an easy-to-read, understandable report. Since the BIOSAFE Cholesterol Panel test produces a numerical result rather than a simple "yes" or "no" answer, both testing approval and professional review of test results are required by a licensed physician. BIOSAFE has developed a nationwide network of medical doctors for this purpose.

You may order a BIOSAFE Cholesterol Panel test by clicking on the button below. When your order is approved, your Blood Collection Kit will be sent to you by first class mail.

After your test analysis is completed by BIOSAFE Laboratories, the results will be reviewed by a licensed physician before being sent back to you.

Knowing your total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels is an important first step in determining your risk for heart disease. Remember, just because you don’t currently exhibit any signs of heart disease, doesn’t mean you won’t develop them. Now is the best time for prevention. Otherwise, a high blood cholesterol level, as well as other risk factors, can lead to possible serious problems in the future.

High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease that you can modify. Don’t delay finding out if you’re at risk -- Your life is too important!

Price includes:
One BIOSAFE Collection Kit, return postage to the Lab, test analysis by BIOSAFE's CLIA Certified Laboratory, and review of results by a licensed Health Care Professional

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Cholesterol Panel - Testimonials

In the midst of the Great American Cholesterol Challenge, where BIOSAFE Medical Technologies made available a “no-charge” Cholesterol Test to all Americans, I decided to take home test kits for my parents. I watched my father, a man very squeamish about needles, self-collect his capillary blood sample with the lancet packaged within the BIOSAFE kit. Like many, he thought that the lancet had failed since he heard the click but didn’t feel any anticipated pain. As the drops of blood formed, he applied the blood to the collection card and took pride in his accomplishment in successfully collecting his sample. Later that evening with his newfound expertise, he collected my mother’s sample.

Mom’s cholesterol result placed her in the desirable range, but Dad’s cholesterol placed him in the high-risk range for developing heart disease. I provided him with the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) Guidelines for managing elevated cholesterol. Within 3 months through an aggressive diet and daily exercise, he successfully lowered his total cholesterol by 60 milligrams per deciliter and avoided the need to begin therapy with cholesterol-lowering medication. He continues to use the BIOSAFE Cholesterol Panel kit to monitor his lipid levels on a quarterly basis.

When my father-in-law heard of my father’s story at a family party, he asked if I could bring him a Cholesterol kit. He is a recently diagnosed Type II Diabetic, and has been told that heart complications are commonplace in diabetics. Pa, as we call him, self-collected his sample with ease, as one would expect of a diabetic who is trained in self-testing for home glucose monitoring. His cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were all found to be in the high-risk range for developing heart disease, and he brought BIOSAFE’s lab report to his physican as part of a regular office visit. Pa’s physician initially dismissed the results, saying that home tests for cholesterol are meaningless and inaccurate. Pa argued to the contrary, boasting that the test he took was FDA-Approved and tested in a laboratory that was directed by his son-in-law. His physician insisted on ordering another lipid profile, which provided him with results that were nothing less than duplicates of the BIOSAFE results.

A complete heart work-up was ordered on Pa, and while his EKG showed no abnormalities, his stress test needed to be stopped after 10 minutes. His subsequent echocardiogram showed that there was a definite blockage in Pa’s coronary arteries, and he was scheduled for an angioplasty. The angiogram prior to the angioplasty amazingly showed that his left ascending coronary artery (the “widow maker”) was over 90% occluded. Worse yet, the location of the occlusion made it impossible to open with a stent, which meant that bypass surgery was inevitable. His cardiothoracic surgeon told him that if he didn’t have the surgery, that he would suffer a fatal heart attack within weeks, or even sooner. Faced with these hard facts, Pa underwent successful quadruple bypass surgery. His speedy recovery is testament of his strong will and zest for life.

Pa has since returned to his primary care doctor for follow-up evaluation. Pa told me that his doctor asked for the name of the cholesterol kit he used to help diagnose his heart problem, the kit that he claims saved his life. “When did all this start?” friends and family ask Pa. “Fifteen years ago”, answers Pa, “when my son-in-law came into the family”.

I have read many testimonials from BIOSAFE customers over the years, hearing how our simple, but quality products have made a difference in the lives of so many people we will never have the privilege of meeting. I never thought that my family would be one of those families who have been touched by BIOSAFE. Being involved with the development and validation processes of these products, it is most rewarding to know that a small and innovative company from Chicago is making a difference in the way the world practices healthcare. Success is measured in many ways, but none more important that knowing that you have changed someone’s life for the better.

Jack A. Maggiore, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
BIOSAFE Laboratories, Inc.

Thank you for implementing the home test for cholesterol. If it wasn't for you my husband would not be alive today. He is almost six feet tall, weighs 185 (not too heavy) no high blood pressure and no history of high cholesterol. His mother lived to 101. His father lived to 86.

After getting the results from your test, Tom went to the doctor. The doctor ordered a stress test that came back abnormal. Tom made an appointment with the heart doctor. Doctor ordered an angiogram. He said it probably would be one day surgery. We were shocked to find out the main artery was ninety percent blocked. Tom had quadruple by-pass on May 1, 2002. His recovery is going well.

May BIOSAFE company be blessed with much success and good fortune.

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Helen T. Illinois

P.S. I and everyone I show it to like the explanation given of the results.

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