Measuring Cholesterol

Interpreting the tests and numbers.

The Total Number

The basic cholesterol test measures low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), along with two other components you'll read about shortly: very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and triglycerides. Together these make up your total cholesterol count.

So what should your total cholesterol be? The goal has changed twice since it was first devised in 1988. It's not an arbitrary number, however. It's set by the National Institutes of Health's Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults, a true mouthful that you don't have to remember. The panel periodically releases a report -- the third one came out in 2001 -- called the Adult Treatment Panel Report.

Based on the latest research, experts believe a safe total cholesterol level is about 150 mg/dl. (By contrast, the average total cholesterol level in the United States is between 200 and 210.) But this total cholesterol target isn't a one-size-fits-all measure. The goal you set depends not only on where your cholesterol levels are today, but also on other risk factors, including your weight, physical activity, diet, and family health history.

From Cut Your Cholesterol

 

• Healthy Heart
• Cholesterol
• • Heart Disease

• Getting a Cholesterol Test
• What you should know about basic and detailed cholesterol exams.
• 
• What Exactly Is Cholesterol?
• A substance your body can't live without.
• 
• Warning Signs of Heart Disease
• Important symptoms to watch out for.
• 
• The Stages of Heart Disease
• How cholesterol wreaks havoc in your body.
• 
• Setting Your Cholesterol Goals
• Creating your plan involves careful consideration.
• 
• Breakdown of a Successful Cholesterol-Lowering Diet
• The elements that make up a heart-healthy, balanced meal.
• 

“ Cut 60 calories from your morning coffee. Instead of pouring that 1/3 cup of half-and-half (a whopping 105 calories!) into your mug, replace it with the same amount of 2% milk. ”

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