According to the American Heart Association, cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance made naturally by your body to help in cell formation and the production of certain hormones. Although it contributes to your good health, when there is an excess of bad cholesterol in your blood, you have an increased risk of developing heart disease or suffering from heart attack and stroke. The only way to determine your risk factor is to have a lipid panel performed, a blood test that detects the levels of cholesterol in your body. Knowing how to read your results can help you lower your levels, ultimately improving your health.
Step 1
Understand the types of cholesterol. When you receive the results of your lipid panel, you will see three types of cholesterol listed: LDL, HDL and Triglycerides. According to Cholesterol Doctor, not all of these types are harmful to your health. LDL (low-density lipoproteins) is considered the bad cholesterol, while triglycerides, also referred to as VLDL (very low-density lipoproteins), are a form of fat that converts to LDL once in the blood. Your HDL (high-density lipoproteins) is your good cholesterol, the type that helps lower the rest. The three combined is how your total cholesterol is determined.
Step 2
Know the healthy levels. Before reading the results of your test, know the healthy levels of each cholesterol type. According to the American Heart Association, your total cholesterol should be 200 or less, your LDL should be between 100 and 129, your HDL should be between 40 and 50 for men, 50 and 60 for women and your triglycerides should be less than 150.
Step 3
Understand your ratio. While the LDL is building up along the walls of your arteries, the HDL is working to break it down and carry it out of your body. For this reason, some physicians choose to use a ratio to determine patient treatment rather than total cholesterol. To determine, your doctor divides your total cholesterol by your HDL level. According to Optimal Heart Health, the quintessential ratio is 3.5 or less, however 5.1 is acceptable. The American Heart Association recommends using the actual levels versus the ratio when determining treatment.
Step 4
Understand what is considered high. The most important part of reading your cholesterol is recognizing dangerously high cholesterol levels. For your total cholesterol this is 240 or higher, and for your LDL high is 160 to 189, while dangerously high is 190. Your triglyceride level has a broader range--200 to 499 for high and 500 or greater being extremely high. When it comes to your HDL, the lower your numbers the higher your risk. Anything less than 40 for men and 50 for women is considered a health risk.
