Cholesterol levels
After testing your cholesterol, your doctor will evaluate your total cholesterol and your high-density (HDL) and low-density (LDL) cholesterol levels along with your other risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). The following are guidelines for cholesterol levels:
Total cholesterol
Total cholesterol levels include both LDL and HDL cholesterol.
- A total cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dL is desirable.
- 200 mg/dL to 239 mg/dL is borderline-high cholesterol.
- 240 mg/dL or higher is high cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is "bad" cholesterol. If your LDL level is too high, you will want to reduce it.
- An LDL level of less than 100 mg/dL is optimal.
- An LDL level of 100 to 129 mg/dL is near optimal or above optimal.
- An LDL level of 130 to 159 mg/dL is borderline high.
- An LDL level of 160 to 189 mg/dL is high.
- An LDL level of 190 mg/dL and above (4.90 mmol/L and greater) is very high.
HDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol is "good" cholesterol. You want to increase HDL. High HDL can lessen your risk of CAD.
- An HDL level of 60 mg/dL or higher is desirable. An HDL level over 60 mg/dL (1.55 mmol/L) reduces the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), even if total or LDL cholesterol is high.
- An HDL level of 40 to 60 mg/dL is acceptable.
- An HDL level below 40 mg/dL is low. Low HDL is considered a major risk factor for coronary artery disease in people who also have high total cholesterol levels.
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: August 23, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Jennifer Hone, MD - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism | |
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