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Definition

A person's total cholesterol (TC), measured in mmol/L.

Components

Data Element (this item)

Representation

This representation is based on the value domain for this data element, more information is available at " Total millimoles per litre N[N].N ".
Data Type Number
Format N[N].N
Maximum character length 3
Values
Value Meaning Start Date End Date
Supplementary Values 99.9 Not stated/inadequately described.

Comments

Guide for use:

Measurement in mmol/L to 1 decimal place.

Record the absolute result of the total cholesterol measurement. When reporting, record whether or not the measurement of Cholesterol-total - measured was performed in a fasting specimen.

Origin:

National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, Lipid Management Guidelines - 2001, MJA 2001; 175: S57-S88

National Health Priority Areas Report: Cardiovascular Health 1998. AIHW Cat. No. PHE 9. HEALTH and AIHW, Canberra.

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia web based Manual of Use and Interpretation of Pathology Tests

Comments:

In settings where the monitoring of a person's health is ongoing and where a measure can change over time (such as general practice), the Service contact—service contact date, DDMMYYYY should be recorded.

High blood cholesterol is a key factor in heart, stroke and vascular disease, especially coronary heart disease.

Poor nutrition can be a contributing factor to heart, stroke and vascular disease as a population's level of saturated fat intake is the prime determinant of its level of blood cholesterol.

Large clinical trials have shown that people at highest risk of cardiovascular events (e.g. pre-existing ischaemic heart disease) will derive the greatest benefit from lipid lowering drugs. For this group of patients, the optimum threshold plasma lipid concentration for drug treatment is still a matter of research. In May 1999 the PBS threshold total cholesterol concentration, for subsidy of drug treatment, was reduced from 5.5 to 4.0 mmol/L. (Australian Medical Handbook).

References

Related content

Relation Count
Input in Derivations 0
Output in Derivations 0
Inclusion in Data Set Specifications 8
Inclusion in Data Distributions 0
As a numerator in an Indicator 0
As a denominator in an Indicator 0
As a disaggregation in an Indicator 0