Good Cholesterol Levels

Things to Consider About Good Cholesterol Levels

When assessing your cholesterol, there are actually a few cholesterol figures to keep in mind. These cholesterol numbers include:

 

Triglyceride levels should also be taken into consideration. Although triglycerides are actually not cholesterol, they can be a factor in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.

 

Good Total Cholesterol Levels

Ideally, total cholesterol levels should be under 200 mg/dL. Keep in mind, however, that total levels can be misleading. Total cholesterol levels can include low HDL levels and high LDL levels, both of which increase a person's risk for heart disease. This is why most cholesterol-lowering treatment decisions are based on HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, not total cholesterol.

 

Lowering "Bad" Cholesterol: Good Cholesterol Levels for LDL

In general, a good cholesterol level for LDL is under 100 mg/dL. But this is not the whole story. Healthy cholesterol levels for LDL also depend on the number of risk factors for heart disease a person has. For a person with no heart disease risk factors, his or her "good" LDL cholesterol level can actually be under 160 mg/dL. As risk factors increase, the healthy cholesterol level for LDL decreases. For a person who already has heart disease, diabetes, or a risk score higher than 20 percent, a good cholesterol level for LDL is under 100 mg/dL.

 

If You Have	You Are in Category	And Your LDL Goal Is
Heart disease, diabetes, or a risk score higher than 20%	I. Highest risk	Less than 100 mg/dL
Two or more risk factors and a risk score of 10–20%	II. Next highest risk	Less than 130 mg/dL
Two or more risk factors and a risk score lower than 10%	III. Moderate risk	Less than 130 mg/dL
One or no risk factors	IV. Low to moderate risk	Less than 160 mg/dL