A cholesterol test performed in the United States will give you an answer in mg/dl, which indicates the number of milligrams per deciliter. A cholesterol test done anywhere else in the world will give you a total cholesterol reading in mmol/litre. Mmol/litre indicates the number millimoles per litre of cholesterol in the blood. When reading articles or charts about cholesterol, you may need to convert the numbers given in mmol/liter to mg/dl to apply the information to yourself. It is important to know what your cholesterol level is and to get it tested frequently so you can determine if your cholesterol is high enough to be considered a risk for coronary heart disease. Adults over 20 should have their cholesterol tested every 5 years at a minimum.
Step 1
Take the results of your total cholesterol test in mg/dl and divide the total by 18. Total cholesterol is a combination of your HDL, LDL and other lipid components.
Step 2
Round the answer to two decimal places. A healthy total cholesterol number of 180 mg/dl divided by 18 would give an answer 10 mmol/litre. However, 190 mg/dl divided by 18 would give you an answer of 10.5555555 mmol/litre. The result, 10.55555 should be rounded to 10.56 mmol/litre. A borderline high cholesterol reading of 220 mg/dl would give you a mmol/litre answer of 12.222222 mmol/litre. This should be rounded down to 12.22 mmol/litre.
Step 3
Check your work by multiplying your answer in mmol/litre by 18. You should get approximately the same answer in md/gl with which you began.
Tips and Warnings
- The American Heart Association says that a mmol/litre reading of 5.13 or a mg/dl reading of 200 or less is healthy. A total cholesterol reading between 5.13 and 6.13 mmol/litre or 200 and 239 mg/dl is considered a borderline high risk. Readings of 6.14 mmol/litre or 240 mmol/litre or above means a person is a high risk and is two times more likely to get heart disease.
- Smoking tobacco and consuming more than one alcoholic drink per day for women or two per day for men also contribute to heart disease. Lowering your cholesterol, lowering your blood pressure and giving up smoking will be major factors in keeping your heart healthy.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
