Are You Looking After Your Cholesterol Levels?
Please consult a doctor about your cholesterol levels, the information below is just a guide and should not be taken as medical advice.
Cholesterol can be a major factor in a person’s overall heart health. Having cholesterol levels that are too high greatly increases an individual’s risk for developing coronary heart disease and increases the chances of a stroke. That is why it is extremely important for a person to regularly monitor his or her cholesterol level.
A simple blood test is all that is needed to determine your total blood cholesterol level. This level is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) and is broken up into three main components: High Density Lipoprotein (HDL – also known as “good cholesterol”), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL – also known as “bad cholesterol”), and Triglycerides (also known as blood fats). Your health care provider then uses these numbers to determine your total risk and heart health profile by taking into consideration age, gender, family history, race, smoking status, blood pressure, activity level, weight, and other health conditions.
Based on a good deal of research, health professionals have been able to set “healthy ranges” for each of the three main cholesterol components, as well as for total cholesterol. The guidelines are as follows:
Total Cholesterol Level: Less than 200 mg/dL. It is thought that any level higher than 200 mg/dL increases a person’s risk of developing coronary heart disease. 200 to 239 mg/dL is considered to be borderline high, and anything above 240 mg/dL is considered high. A person with a level of 240 mg/dL or higher has more than twice the risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to someone with a level of under 200 mg/dL.
HDL Level: 60 mg/dL is considered to be best to protect against heart disease. Any level less than 40 mg/dL for men, and less than 50 mg/dL for women is considered a risk factor.
LDL Level: Less than 100 mg/dL is considered to be optimal. 100 to 129 mg/dL is near or above optimal, 130 to 159 mg/dL is considered borderline high, 160 to 189 mg/dL is considered high, and anything above 190 mg/dL is considered to be very high. Your LDL cholesterol level can vary depending on your other risk factors. For example, if you do not have heart disease or diabetes, and have zero or one other risk factors your LDL level can be anything less than 160 mg/dL. If you do not have coronary heart disease or diabetes but you do have two or more risk factors, your LDL level needs to be less than 130 mg/dL.
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL is considered to be normal. 150 to 199 mg/dL is considered borderline high, 200 to 499 mg/dL is considered high, and anything above 500 mg/dL is considered to be very high.
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