How to Calculate HDL
Instructions
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Schedule an appointment with your health care professional to receive an cholesterol level test. Ask your doctor or nurse how long you will have to fast before your blood exam.
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Perform your cholesterol test and obtain a laboratory result from your health care professional. Cholesterol tests are conducted with a small blood sample and will be sent to the laboratory for processing. The results may take a couple of days and will be given to the physician or doctor that administered the test.
You can also purchase a home testing kit to calculate your HDL cholesterol. Use the lancet device in your kit to puncture your finger to obtain a blood droplet. Allow the blood to drop on the designated reader hole on the device, which will then calculate your HDL and LDL levels.
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Assess your HDL levels. Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and are broken down into optimal, average and low HDL levels. For men, 60 mg/dL or higher HDL levels are optimal, 40 to 60 mg/DL is average and 40 mg/dL or less is low. For women, 60 mg/dL or higher HDL levels are optimal, 50 to 60 mg/dL is average and 50 mg/dL or less is considered low.
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