According to the American Heart Association, cholesterol is the fatty substance in your blood that is composed of LDL, or low-density lipoprotein; HDL, or high-density lipoprotein; triglycerides, and Lp(a). LDL refers to the "bad" cholesterol in your blood. It can build up in your blood vessels and form plaques that narrow the vessels and lead to heart attacks and stroke. HDL refers to the "good" cholesterol because it slows the buildup of excess cholesterol. Triglyceride is a type of fat found in the body. If you have high triglycerides, you have high total cholesterol levels. Lp(a) is a variation of LDL and can contribute to plaque formation. A cholesterol level test, also known as a lipid profile, measures the amount of these cholesterol components in your blood. You can then calculate your LDL from your cholesterol.
Step 1
Get your lipid profile results from your doctor. Read the values for your LDL, HDL and trigylceride levels. These will be used in the calculation.
Step 2
Look at your triglyceride level. Repeat your lipid profiling test under close supervision if your triglyceride levels are above 400 mg/dL. Use a simple equation if your triglycerides are less than 400 mg/dl.
Step 3
According to cholesterol-doctor.com, punch in your triglyceride level into the calculator and divide it by five.
Step 4
Add your HDL level to the result in Step 3 and subtract this amount from the total cholesterol level in your blood. The resulting value is your calculated LDL.
Step 5
An LDL level greater than 189 mg/dl puts you at high risk for heart attack or stroke. A level less than 100 mg/dl is the normal and more ideal level.
Things You'll Need
- Lipid profile results
- Calculator
