Cholesterol levels are an important measurement that doctors can use to assess a person's risk of developing atherosclerosis and other forms of heart and cardiovascular disease. Although cholesterol levels on their own are informative, all cholesterol is not the same. One form of cholesterol, called LDL, increases the risk of heart disease, whereas HDL seems to protect against heart disease. Both of these forms of cholesterol can be measured using a blood test.
Step 1
Get your blood drawn and tested. HDL and LDL levels need a blood sample to be accurately measured. Although there are some home-use tests that measure total cholesterol, they cannot give you information on HDL and LDL levels. For these measurements, you will need to have your blood sample sent to a lab and to look at the full report on the lipids in your blood.
Step 2
Find and interpret your LDL level. LDL is also known as the "bad" cholesterol, so you should determine what "category" your LDL levels fall into. LDL is typically measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). Under 100 mg/dl is considered to be optimal, whereas between 100 and 129 mg/dl is considered to be "near optimal." Borderline high is 130 to 159 mg/dl, and high is between 160 to 189 mg/dl. Anything above 190 mg/dl is considered to be very high.
Step 3
Locate your HDL measurement. HDL levels above 60 mg/dl is optimal and carries a decreased risk of heart disease. HDL levels between 40 and 60 mg/dl is considered to be average and carries with it an average risk of heart disease. Levels below 40 mg/dl carry with them an increased risk of heart disease.
