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Healthy cholesterol levels help keep your heart healthy

Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is a great way to keep your heart healthy. It can lower your chances of getting heart disease or having a .

But first, you have to know your cholesterol numbers.

The 91ÐÓ°É recommends

All adults age 20 or older should have their cholesterol and other traditional risk factors checked every four to six years as long as their risk remains low. If some factors put you at high risk, or if you already have heart disease, your health care professional may ask you to check it more often. Work together to determine your risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Then, create a plan to reduce your risk.

Learn how to get your cholesterol tested

How to read your test results

Your test results will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dL. Total cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol help predict your lifetime or 10-year risk for a heart attack or stroke. Other risk factors, such as age, family history, smoking status, diabetes and high blood pressure, are also considered.

Lipid profile, or cholesterol test, is a blood test that will give you results for your:

• HDL cholesterol
• LDL cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Total blood cholesterol

.

HDL cholesterol

HDL cholesterol is called good cholesterol. A healthy HDL-cholesterol level may help protect against heart attack and stroke. Your health care professional will check your HDL and other cholesterol levels, along with other factors to assess your risk.

People with high triglycerides may also have a lower level of HDL. Factors including genetics, diabetes, smoking, inactivity and being overweight can lower HDL cholesterol. More men have lower HDL than women among all age groups.

LDL cholesterol

LDL is the bad kind of cholesterol. Having a low LDL level is good for your heart health.

LDL levels are only one factor in assessing heart health. Talk to your health care professional about your LDL level and other factors that affect your risk of heart disease and stroke.

A diet high in saturated and trans fats is unhealthy because it tends to raise LDL cholesterol levels.

Women tend to have lower LDL levels than men until about age 55 or until menopause.

How low can I go with my LDL?

• While there is no ideal target level for LDL-C, the 2018 guideline recognizes that “lower is better.” Studies suggest that:
  • Optimal total cholesterol is about 150 mg/dL
  • Optimal LDL-C is at or below 100 mg/dL. Adults with LDL-C in this level have lower rates of heart disease and stroke
• Talk to your health care professional about your target level:
  • If you’re healthy, aim for an LDL below 100 mg/dL.
  • If you have a history of heart attack or stroke and are already on a cholesterol-lowering medication, your health care professional may aim for at least a 50% reduction in your LDL-C level to 70 mg/dL or lower. 

Learn more about why it’s important to manage your LDL cholesterol.

What Does My LDL Number Mean? (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Why Should I Know My LDL Cholesterol? (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. They come from food and are also made by your body.

People with high triglycerides may also have high total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol. People with metabolic syndrome or diabetes often have high triglycerides.

Factors that can contribute to higher triglyceride levels include:

• Overweight or obesity
• Insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome
• Diabetes
• Drinking alcohol, especially in excess
• Excess sugar intake, especially from sugary drinks
• Eating highly processed foods
• High saturated fat intake
• Underactive thyroid
• Chronic kidney disease
• Physical inactivity
• Pregnancy, especially in the third trimester
• Inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus

Some medications may also increase triglycerides.

Total blood cholesterol

Your total blood cholesterol comes from different measurements. It is the sum of your HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, plus 20% of your triglyceride level.

While cholesterol levels above “normal ranges” are important in your overall heart disease risk, your total blood cholesterol level should be considered along with your other known risk factors.

Your health care professional can suggest treatments based on your risk.