Cholestorol readings on a non-fasting blood test - accurate or not?

[LizB62A]

Just looking for a general view from anyone medical (doctor, nurse):
I had a non-fasting blood test a couple of weeks ago and the cholesterol figures were a bit high, so the doc wants to see me to discuss (it's not urgent, the appointment was booked for 2 weeks after they called me about the results).

I've been Googling a bit (I know, I know !) and a lot of what I've seen suggests that cholesterol figures aren't reliable unless it's a fasting blood test - can anyone confirm whether or not that is the case?

My results were:
Cholesterol: 7.49
Triglycerides: 2.38
HDL: 1.26
LDL: 5.1

I'm expecting them to try and prescribe me statins, but I'm going to say no to the statins, ask for a retest in 6 weeks or so, and have already started on Benecol, eating more fibre, exercise and getting more serious about Slimming World (I'm about 3.5 stone overweight, and in my mid-50s)

Does that sound like a reasonable approach?
(I don't like taking medication unless it's really necessary and I don't want to risk the assorted side-effects of statins if I don't have to)

I was told to have a look here qrisk.org/2016/ for cardiovascular risk and if it was more than 10% to consult a GP.

I was also told fasting makes no difference to the results, don't know how true that is.

Sounds like a good plan to be retested after lifestyle changes, and you already have an action plan in place so I think it sounds more than reasonable. It's your health after all.

@ParisUSM Thanks for the reply

Mine comes out as 12.9% if I put in the Cholesterol/HDL level from the recent blood test.
If I'd tried this before I knew the blood test results i.e. had left the Cholesterol/HDL level field blank, it would have been 10.4%

The doctor only ever wants to discuss one issue at a time, but I think most people's health issues are more complicated than that which is why I don't want to risk side effects including constipation/diarrhoea as I've got IBS, or skin problems as I've got lifelong eczema and am already itchy all over !

Thanks again - I'll stick to my plan and turn down the statins if that's what the doc suggests.

You don't have to fast to have your cholesterol checked, but you do have to fast to have your triglycerides checked for it to be accurate.

The triglyceride test is quite unimportant, and is being done less and less. The cholesterol is the main thing, and the ratio between HDL and LDL.

You also need to fast if you're having a fasting glucose for it to be accurate, but again that's being done less commonly now as people normally have a HbA1c instead, and you don't have to fast for that one.

I have annual blood test.(angina).
Used to be a fasting test but the last two tests was told there was no need to fast.
I had test this a.m. so still current.
Depends what the test is for probably.