LDL used to be the bad cholesterol and HDL the good cholesterol.
High HDL is no longer automatically good, for example.
Lets take a look at what your cholesterol numbers really mean.
If it happens in the brain, you might end up with a stroke.
Just because cholesterol is important doesnt mean we need to eat a ton of it.
Just because cholesterol is important doesnt mean we need to eat a ton of it.
The latestDietary Guidelines for Americansdont recommend a limit on dietary cholesterol.
Instead, total cholesterol levels are considered in context with other risk factors, and treatment is recommended accordingly.
But more important than total cholesterol is how it is packaged and where its headed in the body.
That brings us to LDL and HDL.
Thats where LDLs bad cholesterol reputation comes from, and its probably warranted.
Your doctor or lab results will probably say that LDLshould bebelow 130 mg/dL.
However, cardiologists are using this value in a more nuanced way than they did five years ago.
If youre younger than that, just input 40 and realize that the risk estimate may be less reliable.
The bottom line: LDL is still the bad cholesterol, and a good result is under 130 mg/dL.
HDL Isnt as Helpful As Hoped
HDL has long enjoyed a charmed reputation.
But this is where the science has been surprising over the last few years.
There was hope that several drugs that raise HDL would help prevent heart disease, but theyfailed inclinical trials.
(In fact, some turned out tocause more harmthan good.
)Geneticstudieshave also found that having genes that raise HDL doesnt necessarily protect us from heart disease.
The classic good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, is really out, said Rahimi
Thats been a big Aha!
moment in cardiology, said Rahimi.
Its kind of like a marker, said Rahimi.
The classic good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, is really out, said Rahimi.
HDL is still an active area of research, though.
The bottom line: For now, HDL is probablynot a very useful number.
Normal triglyceride levels are less than 150 mg/dL, and higher values are associated withincreased riskof heart disease.
(Drugsused include statins, fibrates, niacin, and high-dose fish oil.)
Between 150 and 500, he talks about lifestyle changes to lower triglycerides.
When we see higher triglyceride levels, we get concerned about the persons diet, Rahimi said.
One of the major drivers of high triglycerides is carbohydrate intake, especially sugar.
Above 500 mg/dL youll likely be prescribed medication.
Whats nice about these values is that theyre quantitative and trackable over time.
However, they also have limitations.
Some lipid values are more useful than the others, and none exist in a vacuum.
