Q: Last week I underwent a lipid profile and FBS tests which showed a cholesterol level of 159mg/dl, triglyceride 332mg/dl and FBS 145mg/dl. The doctor advised me to control my diet by avoiding fried foods and walking for 1 hour daily and to repeat the tests after 15 days. My age is 40 and weight is 55kg. Earlier I was having some triglyceride problem and I was continuously taking Lopid 600 mg/dl one in the morning and one at night and the level came down to 90-100mg/dl range. I have stopped taking the medicine. Please let me know whether the FBS level is high and if I can take all types of fruits as I usually don't like sweets but only takes fruits?

A:Your triglycerides are significantly high and total cholesterol is marginally raised (ideally, it should be less than 150). You have not mentioned about other bad cholesterol such as LDL, VLDL and there is no mention about the level of good cholesterol such as HDL. It helps us to analyse the cholesterol levels as a whole and then decide the best lipid-lowering drug for you. Thus I request you to send me the report of LDL, HDL and VLDL. Your blood sugar is definitely high. I would request you to repeat fasting blood sugar, blood sugar PP (2 hours after lunch) and A1C levels, to establish the diagnosis of diabetes. If the fasting blood sugar is persistently high, beyond 126 mg%, the patient is labelled as diabetic and is managed on lifestyle intervention, followed by drug intervention, if required. Regarding the fruits you consume, I would recommend you not to have grapes, mangoes, cheeku and banana. You can have all other fruits in moderation. Your weight is OK, I would still advise you not to consume fried foods like pakodas, samosas, puris, halwa and other such stuff. Have a regular exercise protocol for at least thirty minutes every day, meditate for 20 minutes in the morning and evening, no smoking, no alcohol. Finally, I request you to have the following tests done before I prescribe any drugs: 1. Cholesterol, LDL, Triglycerides, VLDL, HDL from a standard lab 2. Blood sugar fasting and PP and A1c 3. Uric acid 4. SGOT/SGPT 5. Urine examination 6. Homocysteine Please get back to me with the reports. Then I can advise you the choice of lipid-lowering drugs, etc.