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What are cholesterol numbers?

April 26, 2017cholesterol cholesterol ratio Numbers

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What are cholesterol numbers?

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Blood cholesterol tests are able to distinguish between and measure the concentrations of three different types of cholesterol in the blood: LDL (low density lipoprotein), HDL (high density lipoprotein), and VLDL (very low density lipoprotein). The concentration of each of these, measured in milligrams/deciliter, determines the corresponding cholesterol numbers, and the total is equal to the sum of all three. Test results are often given in terms of a total cholesterol number and a cholesterol ratio representing either Total/HDL or LDL/HDL. Low-density LDL cholesterol, commonly referred to as “bad” cholesterol, is strongly linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. Elevated levels of both LDL and VLDL in the blood can lead to a buildup of plaque along artery walls, causing them over time to narrow and harden (this is called atherosclerosis). The higher-density HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is able to pick up excess LDL and VLDL that have accumulated both in the blood an