What Are The Optimal Cholesterol Blood Levels? This Chart Reveals The Risks
Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
by John Miller
Home HealthPlus1
Recently I was consulting with several different clients from Canada and was confronted with the fact that they use a different measuring system there than what we used in the United States..
We had some difficulty understand the severity of the cholesterol issue we were discussing because of this.
I hope this chart solves any issue there might be in this area.
ways of measuring relate to each other.
Here are some ratios that you can use to see how the two compare.
- Total Cholesterol U.S. Total Cholesterol Canada
Below 200 mg/dl below 5.2 mmol/L Desirable
200-239 mg/dl 5.2-6.2 mmol/L Borderline high
240 mg/dl and above Above 6.2 mmol/L High
- LDL Cholesterol U.S. LDL Cholesterol Canada
Below 70 mg/dl Below 1.8 mmol/L Optimal If at very high
risk for heart disease
Below 100 mg/dl Below 2.6 mmol/L Optimal If at risk for
heart disease
100-129 mg/dl 2.6-3.3 mmol/L Near optimal
130-159 mg/dl 3.3-4.1 mmol/L Borderline high
160-189 mg/dl 4.1-4.9 mmol/L High
190 mg/dl and above Above 4.9 mmol/L Very high
- HDL Cholesterol U.S. HDL Cholesterol Canada
Below 40 mg/dl (men) Below 1.8 mmol/L (men) Poor
Below 50 mg/dl (women) Below 1.3 mmol/L (women)
50-59 mg/dl 1.3-1.5 mmol/L Better
60 mg/dl and above Above 1.5 mmol/L Best
- Triglycerides U.S. Triglycerides Canada
Below 150 mg/dl below 1.7 mmol/L Desirable
150-199 mg/dl 1.7-2.2 mmol/L Borderline high
200-499 mg/dl 2.3-5.6 mmol/L High
500 mg/dl and above Above 5.6 mmol/L Very high
Because LDL Cholesterol has a major association with heart disease,
It's the main focus of cholesterol lowering treatment. But it is not as simple as the chart may appear.
Your target LDL number can vary, depending on your underlying risk of heart disease.
As the chart indicates some people are at very high risk for heart disease. If you have had a heart attack or if you have diabetes or ceratoid or peripheral vascular disease, you're at very high risk.
In addition, two or more of the following risk factors might also place you in the very high risk factor group.
- Smoking
High blood pressure
Low HDL cholesterol
Family history of early heart disease
Age older than 45 if you're a man or 55 if you are a woman
Elevated lipoprotein (a)
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www.reducinghighcholesterol.net
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