What types of cholesterol are measured?
You can have only your total cholesterol level tested or a complete “lipoprotein profile,” which includes information on three things; your total cholesterol, your LDL (bad) cholesterol, which is the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries; your HDL (good) cholesterol, which helps keep cholesterol from building in the arteries; and triglycerides, another form of fat in your blood. What do the numbers mean? The American Heart Association uses the following standards when evaluating test results:Total cholesterol in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL): Less than 200 is desirable 200-239 is borderline high 240 and above is high LDL Cholesterol Level (mg/dL): Less than 100 is optimal 100-129 is near optimal/above optimal 130-159 is borderline high 160-189 is high 190 and above is very high *HDL Cholesterol Level (mg/dL): Less than 40 mg/dL is low 60 mg/dL or more helps lower your risk for heart disease *Higher HDL numbers are better Triglycerides (mg/dL): 150-
