What is a Good Cholesterol Score?
- Written By: Tricia Ellis-Christensen
- Edited By: O. Wallace
- Last Modified Date: 17 April 2013
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Copyright Protected:
2003-2013 Conjecture Corporation
There are three ways to evaluate cholesterol score, which are often used in concert with each other. Measurements typically taken to determine cholesterol score include total cholesterol, and individual cholesterol measurements for high-density lipoproteins or HDL and low-density lipoproteins or LDL. When these measurements are read together, the doctor has the best way of determining your cholesterol score and cholesterol health. Testing may also include an evaluation of triglyceride level.
When evaluating total cholesterol level, the desired cholesterol score should be less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). A score between 200-239 mg/dL is considered borderline high and a score of 240 mg/dL or above is high. Many physicians suggest patients try to aim for a cholesterol level of about 150-180 mg/dL, by modifying diet and pursuing exercise. When this can be accomplished, the total cholesterol score is considered safe and nowhere near borderline high.
LDL measurements tend to measure the “bad” cholesterol that is most likely to lead to disease. So in this case you are looking for a low number. A good cholesterol score of LDL is between 100-129 mg/dL. A score under 100 mg/dL is considered optimal. An LDL cholesterol score of 130-159 mg/dL is borderline high, 160-189 mg/dL is high and 190 mg/dL is very high. With the LDL measurement and the total cholesterol measurement, you want to see these numbers lower, instead of high.
In contrast, HDL cholesterol score is better when the number is higher. This is the “good cholesterol” our body needs — it keeps total cholesterol and LDL numbers down. A good cholesterol score for HDL is 60 mg/dL or better. 40 mg/dL or lower is considered a risk factor for developing heart disease.
Doctors may measure triglyceride levels when blood cholesterol score is computed. Generally a good score for triglycerides is less than 150 mg/dL. Physicians also look at the whole health picture when measuring cholesterol. For example, a person with a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease is more at risk from levels approaching borderline. People with poor diet, extra weight, and who don’t pursue an active lifestyle also run greater risk of heart disease from a high cholesterol score.
In most cases when a cholesterol score is borderline, a doctor will help the patient by suggesting a modified diet and an exercise plan. Patients are also advised to quit smoking as this can lower HDL and raise LDL. If cholesterol score is high, doctors may need to begin medications to lower the score, while also recommending specific diet and exercise plans to address the condition.
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Discuss this Article
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anon330340
Post 14 |
My hdl cholesterol is 89 mg/dl and my ldl is 90. Please tell me if I am normal. |
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anon306700
Post 12 |
My HDL is 46, with an LDL of 136 and triglycerides of 89. Is this level of cholesterol manageable without medicine? |
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T2Dnomore
Post 11 |
There seems to be a lot of misinformation about cholesterol - what it is, what it does, what is a 'normal' level. The first point is that cholesterol is just one molecule. There is no 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol, just cholesterol. Secondly, our bodies make cholesterol and it is used for a wide range of processes. Why would our bodies make something that is harmful to them? Answer, they don't. Cholesterol is not harmful, it is essential. The third point concerns how much is 'healthy' Here it seems we have a choice: do we want to live a long time, or do we want to change what is written on our death certificates? There is a list of diseases - and death rates - that are increased by having a low cholesterol level. Putting all the data together, I can't see why anyone over the age of 40 would want a cholesterol level less than about 250 mg/dl (6.5mmol/l). |
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anon116392
Post 10 |
The 8 score is a sub-class score of HDL. This score should be above 10. A medication like simcor would be something to help raise this score. The test that returns this 8 score on the sub class of HDL is a more advanced in depth cholesterol test that breaks down the LDL and HDL score into sub-categories. It is not a score most of us are used to seeing from the standard cholesterol test. |
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Kim Willis-Thompson
Post 9 |
My husband's score was an 8. I have never heard of this scale before is it something new. I do know an 8 is very bad. But can anyone tell me about the scale. |
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anon88389
Post 7 |
I have always had total cholesterol consistently below 110. My bad cholesterol level is about 75 while my good cholesterol is about 35. I am trying to reverse these numbers but my doctor states that since my levels are so low it should never be a problem. I am hoping that a very low number is not a problem. Can a score be too low? |
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anon83018
Post 6 |
How does someone raise an HDL of 32? LDL is 79 and Triglycerides are 133 and total cholesterol is 144. Person is diabetic with A1c of 6.1. |
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anon74073
Post 5 |
I got my blood drawn on a general health screen and I received a call from my doctor's office that he needed to see me about my cholesterol. It was 371 and he said that it could be the worst he had ever seen. So I am now taking 40 mg of pravastatin. I am going to try and do a little diet and exercise. I am 30 6'5' and about 280 pounds, should be about 240 though. Hopefully I can get it under control. I think it runs in my family. |
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anon71338
Post 4 |
i have a friend whose cholesterol score is 8 and he has to take meds. what does having an 8 score mean? |
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anon55775
Post 3 |
A good reading is anything less than 3. I had a physical today, and my doctor explained the rating system, which is a five point scale. 1 is great, and 5 is bad. The scale considers the bad (LDL) and the good (HDL) types of cholesterol. You husband needs to get the medicine, which is probably a statin. Longer term he might want to 1) improve his diet, 2) loose weight, 3) not smoke, 4) exercise at least 30 minutes/day and 4) moderate his drinking. 1-4 might not do much as cholesterol levels are partly determined by one's genetics. |
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anon35677
Post 2 |
my husband cholesterol is 5 doctor told him it was high wants him to take tablets.what is a good reading, |
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eastwest
Post 1 |
My parents eat the same food basically and the only difference is that my dad smokes and my mom doesn't, so his cholesterol score should be much higher (for bad cholesterol, anyway). But his is actually much much lower - somehow he got lucky enough to be able to eat almost anything and never have problems with cholesterol, while my mom has to be really really careful and still has a really high cholesterol score. |
