How to Calculate the Risks of the LDL and HDL Cholesterol Ratio

There are several numbers to consider when determining your cholesterol health. Your LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, is "bad" cholesterol; LDL transports cholesterol to your arteries and tissues. HDL cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, is "good" cholesterol; HDL transports cholesterol to the liver for disposal. TC, or total cholesterol, and triglycerides are blood fat that are also important to your cholesterol count.

Instructions

Determining Your LDL

• 1

  Divide your triglycerides number by 5. For example, if your triglycerides number is 180, you would divide 180 by 5 to equal 36.

• 2

  Subtract your HDL cholesterol from your TC. Using our example, if your HDL cholesterol is 40 and your TC is 220, you would subtract 40 from 220 to equal 180.

• 3

  Subtract the number you calculated in Step 1 (36) from the number your calculated in Step 2 (180). In our example, 36 subtracted from 180 equals 144. This number is your LDL cholesterol. Ideally, your LDL cholesterol level should be less than 130.

Determining Your LDL to HDL Ratio

• 4

  To determine your LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio, divide your LDL by your HDL. Using our example, 144 divided by 40 equals 3.6.

• 5

  Determine your risk. According to "Cholesterol Down: 10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in 4 Weeks--Without Prescription Drugs," an LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio of 3.3 to 4.4 is considered low risk, 4.4 to 7.1 is an average risk, 7.1 to 11.1 is moderate risk and 11.1 or higher is high risk.

• 6

  Attempt to lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol to bring your risk ratio to 3.0 or below, as this is the optimum ratio.