Know Your Cholesterol Numbers

Answer 1

Having a total cholesterol level below 200 mg/dl is considered desirable, while anything between that and 239 is considered mildly high, and anything over 240 is considered high.

The only way to accurately determine the cholesterol level is to perform a blood test called a lipid profile. This test measures the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood and the amount of high density lipoprotein (HDL) present to achieve the total number, which is measured in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood (MG/DL).

LDL is also known as bad cholesterol. This type is responsible for restricting blood vessels and contributing to all the various types of cardiovascular disease. HDL is known as good cholesterol. Its function in the body is to scrub vessel blocking LDL particles off blood vessel walls and return it to the liver for processing and elimination.

The presence of these two types of cholesterol accounts for the reason why the total number does not provide the entire picture. It would be possible to have a total below 200, yet still be at risk for some other health problems for which high cholesterol is responsible. To make this determination, healthcare providers compare the ratio of total cholesterol divided by HDL. The goal here is a ratio below 5.0, with even lower numbers being desirable.

This is why an LDL level below 100 is the recommended level for bad cholesterol and why HDL levels of above 60 are considered optimal.

Lipid profile blood tests also provide a number important piece of information. This is the level of triglycerides present in the blood.

Triglycerides are the chemical form of the fat that is contained in foods and the body. High levels are linked to an increased risk of coronary artery disease. They are also measured in MG/DL, with levels below 150 considered desirable. 150 to 199 is classified as a mildly high level, 200-499 is high, and anything above 500 is very high and should receive immediate attention.

Knowing your total cholesterol, ratio of HDL to the total, and the level of triglycerides in the blood plays a major role in evaluating health.