What Is My LDL Cholesterol Goal if I Am Healthy?
What Is My LDL Cholesterol Goal if I Am Healthy?Answer: High levels of LDL cholesterol, otherwise known as your bad cholesterol, can place you at risk of having heart disease if left untreated. In order to help prevent heart disease, the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that your LDL cholesterol should be the main target of your treatment. Therefore, there are LDL cholesterol goals that your healthcare provider uses to determine what type of treatment you should receive for your cholesterol –- and prevent coronary heart disease in the future. These treatment options can range from making lifestyle changes to taking medications. If you are relatively healthy, or have only one risk factor for heart disease, your LDL cholesterol goal is less than 160 mg/dL. Risk factors for heart disease include smoking, low HDL, family history of h