Developed by Medindia Content Team | Calculator reviewed by The Medindia Medical Review Team Last Updated on Oct 23, 2021

What is the connection between cholesterol numbers and heart disease risk? Simply put, a high total cholesterol number increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. Use this calculator to find answers to your questions on cholesterol and check if your cholesterol numbers are on track.

You need to know some cholesterol numbers from the lab test to determine if your cholesterol is too high. High density cholesterol (good cholesterol), low density cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides (both bad for you), and total cholesterol which is a combination of good and bad cholesterol in your blood.

Cholesterol Test (Lipid Profile Test)

This test is done to check your cholesterol level by drawing a blood sample, usually first thing in the morning. It measures HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein), LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein), triglycerides and total cholesterol. If you have taken the test recently, enter the result values in the table below to calculate your risk for heart disease.

Why is it important to measure your cholesterol level periodically?

Your body needs a certain level of cholesterol to function well, but if there is too much bad cholesterol (LDL & Triglycerides) and not enough good cholesterol (HDL), it affects your heart. Too much of bad cholesterol in your blood gets deposited on the walls of arteries, narrowing the path for blood which carries oxygen to the heart. If you don’t have enough blood supply to the heart, your heart muscles suffer and this is manifested as chest pain. Further blockage in an artery can cut off blood supply to a portion of the heart causing a heart attack.

If you are over the age of 30 years, take a lipid profile test regularly to know your cholesterol levels for necessary lifestyle changes and medication, if necessary.
You should check your cholesterol every year if you are taking medicine to control your cholesterol levels, or if you have been diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure.
If you have a family history of heart disease, cholesterol test is recommended every 5 years, beginning at the age of 20 years.

Enter the Details
Ethnicity*
Gender*	Male Female
Age*
Select the unit*	mg/dl mmol/L
Total blood Cholesterol*
LDL Cholesterol*
HDL Cholesterol*
Triglycerides*
* Mandatory

Total blood cholesterol
Optimal / Desirable	Below 200
Near optimal
Borderline high risk	200 to 239
High risk	Above 239
Very high risk
LDL cholesterol
Optimal / Desirable	Below 100
Near optimal	100 to 129
Borderline high risk	130 to 159
High risk	160 to 189
Very high risk	Above 189
HDL cholesterol
Optimal / Desirable	Above 59
Near optimal
Borderline high risk
High risk	Below 40
Very high risk
Triglyceride
Optimal / Desirable	Below 150
Near optimal
Borderline high risk	150 to 199
High risk	200 to 499
Very high risk	Above 499
* All values are in milligram/decilitre (mg/dl)

Facts about Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is made in the liver. You can also get cholesterol from meat, eggs, milk and other dairy products.
A healthy cholesterol level helps the body in the production of sex hormones (progesterone, estrogen, testosterone), serves as a building block for tissues and helps in producing bile in the liver.
Cholesterol level is affected by age, gender and heredity. Other factors include diet, weight and physical activity.
Increased LDL cholesterol (bad or remember L for ‘Lousy’ cholesterol) and triglycerides raise the risk for heart disease and stroke.
HDL cholesterol is considered good cholesterol because it helps in removing bad cholesterol from the blood and high HDL is shown to protect against stroke and heart attack.
Worldwide a third of ischemic heart disease is attributed to high cholesterol.
WHO estimates raised cholesterol level as causing 2.6 million deaths and 29.7 million disability adjusted life years (DALY) One DALY roughly equals one lost year of “healthy” life.

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Comments

tdk2014, India

very useful for instantly preventation...thanks..

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