What is a total cholesterol/HDL ratio?
Some clinicians like to monitor cholesterol levels by using a total cholesterol/HDL ratio in which they divide total cholesterol by the HDL (“good”) cholesterol. The lower this ratio, the lower the risk of heart disease. Since HDL is in the divider, the higher the HDL (“good” cholesterol), the lower the ratio. That way, the ratio decreases if either the total cholesterol decreases or if the HDL rises. This ratio can be useful for monitoring cholesterol changes over time. It is important to remember, however, that LDL (“bad”) cholesterol is the most important number, and that the primary goal of cholesterol treatment is to keep LDL below a certain level.
