Total Cholesterol Is High: What Does It Mean?

If your total cholesterol measures high, it means you face an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The severity of the risk depends on a number of factors, including your age, gender, genetics, lifestyle and how much above normal your cholesterol measures. Medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure would also increase your risk.

Total Cholesterol

Your total cholesterol includes the measurements of three types of lipids in your bloodstream: low-density lipoprotein, also known as LDL or "bad" cholesterol; triglycerides, a type of fat that acts similarly to LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream; and high-density lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol that helps remove LDL cholesterol and triglycerides from your arteries. Your total cholesterol reflects the sum of your LDL and HDL cholesterol and 20 percent of your triglycerides. Your total cholesterol is high if it measures more than 240 mg/dl -- milligrams per deciliter of blood.

LDL Cholesterol

Your LDL cholesterol should measure 100 mg/dl or less. Levels above 130 mg/dl put you at borderline risk for heart attack and stroke. Levels above 160 mg/dl put you at high risk, and levels above190 mg/dl put you at very high risk. Losing weight -- as little as 5 to 10 lbs. -- can help you improve your lipid levels, according to MayoClinic.com. You should also limit dietary cholesterol to 200 to 300 mg a day and saturated fat to 16 to 22 g per day. Foods high in cholesterol include eggs, organ meat and shrimp. Some meats, including beef short ribs and pork chops, contain high amounts of saturated fat.

Triglycerides

Aim to keep your triglycerides below 150 mg/dl -- ideally below 100 mg/dl. Triglyceride levels that reach 200 mg/dl put you at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Levels that top 500 mg/dl put you at very high risk. You can reduce your triglycerides by 50 percent through diet and exercise, according to the American Heart Association. The diet includes no more than 16 g of saturated fat and no more than 2 g of trans fat, found primarily in margarine and shortening, per day. You should also limit calories from foods with added sugar to 100 to 200 a day and exercise moderately at least 150 minutes a week.

HDL Cholesterol

Healthy HDL cholesterol measures 60 mg/dl or higher. If you're a woman, you face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease if it falls below 50 mg/dl. If you're a man, your risk increases if your HDL measures 40 mg/dl or less. To elevate your HDL, attain a healthy weight, avoid trans fat and exercise regularly. Some evidence suggests that drinking small amounts of alcohol -- no more than one or two drinks a day -- may improve HDL. If you cannot improve your total cholesterol through diet and lifestyle changes alone, your doctor may prescribe medications.

Total Cholesterol Is High: What Does It Mean?