Most people read a health checkup report looking for one thing: whether the word "abnormal" appears. But some values sit just below that line. The report does not flag them in red, the physician rarely has time to explain every item, and you assume everything is fine. Three borderline values are worth taking seriously.
1. LDL Cholesterol Between 2.6 and 3.4 mmol/L
The usual upper limit of normal is 3.4 mmol/L. Cardiovascular specialists nevertheless agree that people with other risk factors should keep LDL under 2.6 mmol/L. In the 2.6-3.4 range, the arteries are already beginning to nurture plaque — the process simply has not reached the point where the report calls it abnormal.
2. Carotid Ultrasound Reporting "Intimal Thickening"
A report noting carotid intima-media thickness of 1.0-1.2 mm is not yet describing a plaque, but it is the precursor of one. The vessel wall has already begun to change; left unattended, plaque is likely to follow.
3. Fasting Glucose Between 6.1 and 7.0 mmol/L
This is the impaired glucose tolerance range — short of the diagnostic threshold for diabetes, but high enough that elevated glucose is already damaging blood vessels continuously. By the time diabetes is formally diagnosed, the vessel lining may already be extensively affected.
What a Deeper Assessment Adds
These borderline readings are a yellow warning from your blood vessels. A routine checkup usually stops there. UV Clinic goes further with a deeper evaluation of the vessel wall itself: whether plaque has begun to form, and whether any existing plaque is stable.
A checkup report is not a pass-or-fail line. Borderline values deserve the same attention as abnormal ones.
Screening plans should be chosen together with a qualified clinician, based on individual medical history and risk factors.