lipid.siteYour numbers: LDL, ApoB, Lp(a) and triglycerides
A lipid panel gives you a handful of numbers. See what each one measures, and why the same number can mean very different things for different people.
Example numbers
High on the classic scale. Lines mark common goals; yours depends on your overall risk.
- Under 100: many guidelines, most adults
- Under 70: high risk
- Under 55: heart disease or very high risk
A count of the particles that can cause plaque. 130 or more is one of the risk enhancers guidelines list.
Mostly set by your genes. 125 nmol/L or more is a commonly used threshold for higher risk.
What your numbers mean
Add your own numbers to move the meters. Then answer a few questions to see the group guidelines would put you in.
Tell us a little more
What a number means depends on who you are. Answer a few questions above to see your context.
Based on ACC/AHA 2018. Educational, not medical advice: bring it to your clinician.
Key takeaways
- 1
LDL-C is the cholesterol carried in LDL particles. For LDL, lower is better, and your goal depends on your overall risk.
- 2
ApoB counts the particles that can enter artery walls. Lp(a) is mostly set by your genes, and checking it once in adulthood is widely recommended.
- 3
Triglycerides are fat in the blood. They can change a lot with food, alcohol, weight and blood sugar, and high levels often come with more ApoB particles.
Go deeper
▸The classic LDL-C ranges
On the classic scale (mg/dL): under 100 is called optimal, 100 to 129 near optimal, 130 to 159 borderline high, 160 to 189 high, and 190 or more very high. Your own goal depends on your overall risk.
Babies and people living traditional hunter-gatherer lives run about 50 to 70, so "normal" in modern adults is higher than the body needs.
▸Goals depend on risk
Many guidelines use under 100 mg/dL for most adults, under 70 for high risk, and under 55 for people with heart disease or very high risk. Your clinician sets your goal.
For people aged 40 to 75 without heart disease, US guidelines use a 10-year risk estimate from age, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes. An LDL-C of 190 or more is treated as high enough to discuss treatment regardless of other risk factors.
Risk enhancers can tip the balance: family history of early heart disease, Lp(a) of 125 nmol/L or more, ApoB of 130 or more, kidney disease, inflammatory conditions, South Asian ancestry, early menopause or pregnancy complications.
▸Units and other numbers
Labs outside the US often report LDL-C in mmol/L. Divide mg/dL by 38.67 to convert. Lp(a) is reported in nmol/L or mg/dL; the two measure different things and can't be converted exactly.
Non-HDL cholesterol is total cholesterol minus HDL. It captures the cholesterol in all the particles that can cause plaque.
For triglycerides, under 150 mg/dL is generally considered normal.
What people experienced
One person's experience isn't a prediction of yours.
Sources
- Cholesterol levels (lab test), MedlinePlus (NIH)
- HDL (good), LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, American Heart Association
- Triglycerides, MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Familial hypercholesterolemia and Lp(a), Family Heart Foundation
- National Lipid Association, National Lipid Association
Not medical advice. This exhibit is general education to help you understand your condition and talk with your clinician. It doesn't tell you what to take or change. If you have chest pain or other signs of a heart attack or stroke, call 911.
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