Cholesterol tests help you evaluate your risk of developing heart disease. Although cholesterol has a number of important functions in the body, including the manufacture of hormones and bile, cholesterol can also raise your likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke. If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, atherosclerosis can result, causing your arteries to narrow and stiffen. Cholesterol levels are read from a blood test that measures the levels of different forms of cholesterol and other lipids; these tests are done by medical laboratories and the results can be sent to you for interpretation.
Step 1
Identify the total cholesterol levels from your test results. Total cholesterol measures all of the different forms of cholesterol in your body and serves as a good starting point. Ideally your total cholesterol levels will be below 200 mg per dL of blood and high total cholesterol is a reading greater than 240 mg per dL of blood.
Step 2
Check your LDL cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol is closely linked with your risk of developing heart disease. According to Lab Tests Online, an optimal LDL cholesterol level is less than 100 mg per dL of blood. Levels between 100 and 129 are considered near optimal, between 130 and 159 is borderline high, 160 and 189 is high and any reading above 190 mg per dL of blood is classified as very high.
Step 3
Locate your HDL cholesterol measurements. HDL or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is considered to be "good" cholesterol because it pulls excess cholesterol out of your blood and transports it back to the liver. The ideal level of HDL is above 60 mg per dL of blood.. Levels between 40 and 50 mg per dL of blood for men and 50 to 59 mg per dL of blood for women are considered average. HDL cholesterol concentrations below 40 mg per dL for men and 50 mg per dL for women are considered low.
Step 4
Calculate your HDL to LDL ratio. Your HDL-to-LDL ratio can be measured by dividing your HDL cholesterol levels by your LDL cholesterol levels. For example, if your HDL levels are 50 mg per dL and your LDL levels are 150 mg per dL, your ratio is 50/150 or 0.33. A ratio of above 0.4 is considered optimal. Aim to keep your levels above 0.3, with 0.4 being optimal.
