High levels of cholesterol can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol is tested with a blood sample and measured in milligrams per deciliter. Levels from 200-239 are borderline high. A result of 240 or more is considered high. For a more accurate assessment of heart disease risk, total cholesterol count must be broken down into the balance between lipoprotein levels.
Lipoproteins are the vehicles that carry cholesterol through the blood stream.
The opposite is true for HDL levels. An oral glucose tolerance test is often used to diagnose diabetes or hypoglycemia. The test involves drinking a glucose solution to measure the body's response to sugar. Glucose levels are measured from urine and blood samples over a period of three hours. In a person without diabetes, the glucose levels rise and then fall quickly.