Kind of heart related

[Rich]

When you have a general blood test for cholesterol levels, blood sugar, etc., is a twelve hour fast really adequate ?
I am basing this question on the fact that we all metabolize mediacations differently. Do we also then metabolize foods and beverages at different rates.
EX: If it takes approx three days to eliminate Coumadin from one's system, how long does food and drink take. If one ate and drank a lot of garbage the evening prior to their test, would it be gone after the twelve hour fast ?
Rich

 

[Ross]

Rich that's a good one. Dr. Oz says that a steak can take up to 3 days to be digested by our systems, but fruits and vegetables, less then 12 hours. I even saw a recommendation for a 16 hour fast prior to the draw.

 

[Ross]

I don't know, Rich, but if you don't mind, I am going to piggy-back onto your thread and ask a related question, and maybe somebody will be able to help both of us.

If you don't fast at all for the test, and if all of the results are within normal limits -- including blood sugar and cholesterol -- does that mean that you did no harm by failing to fast? It is inconvenient for me to fast, but my cholesterol has never been high, and my blood sugar is always normal. I figure if either of those values ever comes up high, I will need to repeat the test on a fasting basis. Am I right?

Logic tells me you'd be fine, but further logic questions what or how what you've eaten skewes the test. I think it would be better to fast and do it right.

 

[WayneGM]

Rachel - I assume it makes difference if you don't fast before the test as the lab I go to specifically asks you when you come in and if you have not fasted at least 12 hours, they refuse to do the test and reschedule.

Rich - I think 12 hours may be a minimum. My doctor instructs me not to eat anything after I've had dinner the day before, so by the time I actually go for the test it has been well over 12 hours.

 

[Bina]

I have really slow digestion. So I'll have a light dinner, maybe chicken and rice, or pasta.
Then if I need a little something during the evening, just a couple of crackers.
I never leave the house on an empty stomach except for the morning blood test, so I bring along a granola bar or a baggie of cheerios, and a bottle of water; the second that needle comes out of my arm, I'm stuffing my face!

 

[aussie girl]

When I had blood taken before my angio they also tested for cholesterol and I hadn't fasted. The results came back high and my doctor is talking about meds to lower it. I know I don't have a high cholesterol diet and I'm wondering if I should ask for the test to be redone when I've fasted. Should this make a difference to the results
Mary

 

[hensylee]

Mary, ask for a re-test, definitely!

one time I took my bro for his INR monthly test but they did the whole lipids thing too but didn't ask if he had fasted and we didn't know they were going to do the lipids. his dr's office called me (cardio) to bring him in and upon asking why she said his triglycerides were way high. When I asked her what that meant she told me he could have diabetes - well, nada, I knew that was not so - then she told me they had done a whole test - I told her I know fasting is required for that sort of testing and why hadn't someone told us? it made a huge difference in the test because by not fasting the triglycerides were about 400 points higher than they should have been. When our conversation was done, they never took that test again without telling us - but we always told them when we went every month that he had not fasted. Yes, it makes a difference.

 

[PJmomrunner]

I was told that if only cholesterol levels are being checked there is no need to fast, but if a lipid panel (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, Risk Factor) is being done you need to fast for 10-12 hours. I don't know why.