What Is The Signficance Of The Cholesterol Ratio

If a patient is to have their cholesterol levels determined it is often easier to put the results in the form of a cholesterol ratio (sometimes known as the cholesterol HDL ratio) . The reason behind this is that there are many different components that have various different roles in the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries. It is important to know their concentrations in relation to one another as this provides a much more accurate indication of the patients risk of related illnesses such as heart disease.

Before we look at the calculation of a cholesterol ratio we must first understand how we arrive at a cholesterol number.

Cholesterol blood tests are carried out to measure the concentrations of the three different types of cholesterol present in the bloodstream. These are: LDL (low density lipoprotein or often referred to as bad cholesterol), HDL (high density lipoprotein or good cholesterol) and VLDL (very low density lipoprotein).

To arrive at a number the concentration of these three types of cholesterol is measured in milligrams per decilitre. This then determines the cholesterol numbers and that of the total cholesterol which is the sum resulting from adding all three. The ratio therefore is often shown as LDL/HDL.

LDL cholesterol has strong links with the onset of heart or cardiovascular disease. Heightened levels of LDL and VLDL often lead to the deposition of plaque on the walls of the artery's. Over time this has the effect of narrowing the artery and causing it to become hard and less flexible.

HDL cholesterol has the rather desired effect of picking up any excess LDL and VLDL cholesterol before they have time to deposit themselves on the walls of the arteries, this is why HDL cholesterol is often referred to as “good” cholesterol. This means that you need to try to keep the number relating to the amount of HDL cholesterol in your blood high and your LDL/HDL ratio as low as you can. If you adhere to this guideline you will significantly lower your chances of developing heart disease.

Guidelines have been introduced to enable people to better understand and maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

It is recommended that the total cholesterol found in the bloodstream is less that 200mg/dl for optimum health and any higher than 240mg/dl represents an increased risk of developing heart disease. LDL should be lower than 100 mg/dl and the total level should not exceed 160 mg/dl.

A healthy level of HDL cholesterol is anything above 60 mg/dl. This needs to be kept above 40 mg/dl minimum for men and 50 mg/dl for women to lessen the risk of plaque build up on the arterial walls.

For the latest information on the cholesterol ratio take a look at our free 56 page guide, which you can obtain by entering your details below:

Click Here for the "Cholesterol Lie" as seen on CNN, ABC, NBC...