Cholesterol Levels Vs. Plaque Buildup

Cholesterol and plaque are two words that often come up in books, articles and news reports about heart attack; but just what are these two substances and what do they mean to your health?

Significance

• Cholesterol measurements tell you what level of blood cholesterol you have in your circulatory system. These are often given in three numbers: total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.

Identification

• Your LDL cholesterol and your HDL cholesterol carry fatty deposits through your blood. Your HDL cholesterol helps move fatty deposits out of your arteries and into the safety of your liver. Your LDL cholesterol carries fatty deposits to your arteries.

Warning

• Once in your arteries (thanks to your LDL cholesterol), these fatty deposits bind together to form plaque buildup, which lines your arterial walls, eventually narrowing them significantly or blocking them over time.

Considerations

• An ideal LDL cholesterol level is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dl. You are considered high risk once your level reaches 160 mg/dl or more.

Considerations

• Ideal HDL cholesterol levels for everyone is over 60 mg/dl. You are considered high risk once your level reaches 50 mg/dl or less for women and 40 mg/dl or less for men.