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Person—cholesterol level (measured), total millimoles per litre N[N].N

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Data Element
Short name:Cholesterol—total (measured)
METeOR identifier:270403
Registration status:Health, Superseded 01/10/2008
Definition:A person's total cholesterol (TC), measured in mmol/L.
Data Element Concept:Person—cholesterol level

Value domain attributes

Representational attributes

Representation class:Total
Data type:Number
Format:N[N].N
Maximum character length:3
Supplementary values:
ValueMeaning
99.9Not stated/inadequately described.
Unit of measure:Millimole per litre (mmol/L)

Data element attributes

Collection and usage attributes

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.

Collection methods:

When reporting, record absolute result of the most recent Cholesterol-total - measured in the last 12 months to the nearest 0.1 mmol/L.

Measurement of lipid levels should be carried out by laboratories, or practices, which have been accredited to perform these tests by the National Association of Testing Authorities.

  • To be collected as a single venous blood sample, preferably following a 12-hour fast where only water and medications have been consumed.
  • Prolonged tourniquet use can artefactually increase levels by up to 20%.
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).

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Cardiovascular Data Working Group
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

Relational attributes

Related metadata references:

Supersedes Cholesterol-total - measured, version 1, DE, NHDD, NHIMG, Superseded 01/03/2005.pdf (21.4 KB)

Has been superseded by Person—cholesterol level (measured), total millimoles per litre N[N].N Health, Standard 01/10/2008

Is used in the formation of Person—low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (calculated), total millimoles per litre N[N].N Health, Standard 01/10/2008

Is used in the formation of Person—low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (calculated), total millimoles per litre N[N].N Health, Superseded 01/10/2008

Implementation in Data Set Specifications:
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DSS specific attributes +
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