Apr
Your Total Blood (or Serum) Cholesterol Level
Less than 200 mg/dL: Desirable
If your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are also at desirable levels and you
200–239 mg/dL: Borderline-High Risk
If your total cholesterol falls between 200 and 239 mg/dL, your doctor will evaluate your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. It's possible to have borderline-high total cholesterol numbers with normal levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol balanced by high HDL (good) cholesterol.
240 mg/dL and over: High Risk
People who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or more typically have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is desirable (200 mg/dL)
Your HDL (Good) Cholesterol Level
With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are superior. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher gives some protection against heart disease.
Your LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level
The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, it's a superior gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. In general, LDL levels fall into these categories:
LDL Cholesterol Levels
Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL High
190 mg/dL and above Very High
Your Triglyceride Level
Triglyceride is a form of fat. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level, including high LDL (bad) cholesterol and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher is one of the danger factors of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome increases the danger for heart disease and other disorders, including diabetes.
One causative factor that stands out continuously above and beyond all others is fat in the diet. And it is this factor that we have the ability to control. These fats from our foods enter our blood stream where, like sharks cruising about, they seek out the weak or vulnerable spots in the arteries. It was seen that inevitably the special fat-fighting cells are themselves engulfed by the repeated tidal waves of cholesterol and fats washed into the blood and artery walls by fat-containing foods such as butter, eggs, cream, milk, meat fats, and other animal fats in our diet.
Answer:
There are 2 types of cholesterol. LDL and HDL. LDL is the bad cholesterol, and is what can cause build up in the arteries and cause heart attacks. HDL is the good type of cholesterol.