What are the Components of a Lipid Profile?
Total Cholesterol is the total level of cholesterol in your blood. A level above 200 mg/dL is considered high. LDL Cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, is also known as “bad” cholesterol due to the proven relationship between high LDL levels and heart disease. The main goal of any cholesterol treatment program is to lower the LDL cholesterol. How much your LDL should be lowered is based on your other risk factors for heart disease. For example, an LDL level of 130 mg/dL is acceptable for a healthy person with no risk factors for heart disease. However, if you already have heart disease or other significant risk factors like diabetes or chronic kidney disease, your LDL should be lowered as much as possible. Patients in this high-risk group should have an LDL of 70 mg/dL or below. HDL Cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, is also known as “good” cholesterol. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease. HDL helps to clear some of the cholest
