Ideal Cholesterol Numbers

Cholesterol levels estimate how quickly you're developing heart disease because of hardening of the arteries (artherosclerosis). There are no symptoms for high cholesterol. Adults should have a cholesterol screening every 5 years or as recommended by their doctor.

Significance

• A blood test, which measures how many milligrams of cholesterol there are in 100 milliliters of blood serum, can alert your doctor to dangerous build-up of sticky LDL cholesterol on artery walls.

Ideal Ranges

• Adding together your LDL and HDL cholesterol readings gives a total cholesterol level, which should be under 200 mg/dL. Someone with a low risk of heart disease or stroke will have less than 200 milligrams of cholesterol in one deciliter of blood.

Identification

• Cholesterol screenings monitor LDL cholesterol levels, which should be under 100 mg/dL, and HDL cholesterol levels which should ideally be around 60 mg/dL.

Prevention

• To help keep your cholesterol numbers under 200mg/dL, which is the highest number in the low risk range, eat a healthy diet with lots of fiber and exercise at least 30 minutes each day.

Solution

• Total cholesterol levels are considered borderline high if they're between 200-239 mg/dL. If the total cholesterol number is 240 mg/dL or higher, you are at high risk of heart disease or stroke. Your doctor can prescribe medication to bring the numbers down within normal range.