Interpreting Cholesterol Test Results

Talk to your health care provider about the results of your cholesterol test. The following guidelines come from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health. Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood.

• Total cholesterol level - a level of less than 200 mg/dL is desirable. But even levels of 200-239 mg/dL (borderline high) can increase your risk of heart disease.

  Total Cholesterol Level	Category
  Less than 200 mg/dL	Desirable
  200 - 239 mg/dL	Borderline high
  240 mg/dL and above	High

• LDL (bad) cholesterol - a level of 160 mg/dL or above is high. Work with your health care provider to determine a goal LDL level that's best for you.

  LDL Cholesterol Level	Category
  Less than 100 mg/dL	Optimal
  100-129 mg/dL	Near optimal/above optimal
  130-159 mg/dL	Borderline high
  160-189 mg/dL	High
  190 mg/dL and above	Very high

• HDL (good) cholesterol - a level of 60 mg/dL or more is good and helps to lower your risk for heart disease. Remember that HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better. A level less than 40 mg/dL is low and increases your risk for developing heart disease.

• Triglyceride levels - can also raise your risk for heart disease. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people.

You can also talk with your health care provider about what you can do to help control your cholesterol, including:

• getting your cholesterol checked, understanding what the numbers mean;

• controlling your weight;

• following a treatment program your health care provider prescribes (such as medication and cutting back on foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol);

• exercising regularly (for 30 minutes, most days of the week);

• quitting smoking.