What is a Cholesterol Ratio Calculator
- Cholesterol numbers are a major connection between heart disease risk and heart strokes.
- Simply put, a high total cholesterol number increases your risk for heart attack and stroke.
- Use this calculator to find answers to your questions on cholesterol and check if your cholesterol numbers are on track.
Check Other Related Cholesterol Calculators:
Steps For Cholesterol Ratio Calculator
- Enter Your HDL
- Enter Your LDL
- Enter Your TG
- Calculate Your Cholesterol Ratio
Fun Fact:
You can’t live without cholesterol. We’re born with cholesterol in our bodies, and infants get more from their mother’s milk; in fact, cholesterol is even added to baby formula
Total Cholesterol Level
- Total cholesterol is just an overview of your cholesterol level.
- It might be misleading, as it combines good and bad cholesterol levels in your blood and does not give sufficient information about heart disease risks.
- They are all built as ratios of the aforementioned blood results and are therefore called cholesterol ratios.
Desirable: Less than 200 mg/dL
Borderline high: 200-239 mg/dL
High: 240 mg/dL and above
- You only need to input three of your results - they are dependent on each other according to the Cholesterol Ratio Calculator formula:
Total Cholesterol = HDL + LDL + 0.2 × triglycerides
Cholesterol Ratio
- Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins.
- When the two combine, they are called lipoproteins.
- The types of lipoproteins are HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotein), and triglycerides (TG).
High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)
- HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the "good" cholesterol in your blood.
- Generally speaking, it is a form of cholesterol that is transferred from other parts of your body to the liver in order to metabolize it and remove it from the body with bile acids.
- That's why this is the only cholesterol type that should be kept high.
- Women tend to have slightly higher HDL levels than men.
Optimal: 60 mg/dL and above
Borderline: 40-59 mg/dL
Risk of heart disease: Less than 40 mg/dL
2. Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
- LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) is the "bad" cholesterol that accumulates in your arteries and can cause serious medical conditions, such as heart strokes.
- The lower the LDL level, the better.
- Remember that if your LDL level is high, you should consult a doctor to investigate risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
- Use our LDL calculator to estimate its value based on total cholesterol, HDL, and triglyceride levels.
Optimal: Less than 100 mg/dL
Near optimal/above optimal: 100-129 mg/dL
Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL
High: 160-189 mg/dL
Very high: 190 mg/dL and above
3. Triglycerides
- Triglycerides are not actually cholesterol but a type of fat transported within your blood.
- Most of the triglycerides in your body are stored as body fat.
- Still, high triglyceride levels may be a sign of a lipoprotein problem, as other symptoms such as diabetes often accompany it.
Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
Borderline high: 150-199 mg/dL
High: 200-499 mg/dL
Very high: 500 mg/dL or above
| Total Blood Cholesterol |
|
| Optimal / Desirable |
Below 200 |
| Near optimal |
200 to 220 |
| Borderline high risk |
220 to 239 |
| High risk |
200 to 239 |
| Very high risk |
Above 239 |
| LDL cholesterol |
| Optimal / Desirable |
Below 100 |
| Near optimal |
100 to 129 |
| Borderline high risk |
130 to 159 |
| High risk |
160 to 189 |
| Very high risk |
Above 189 |
| HDL cholesterol |
| Optimal / Desirable |
Above 59 |
| High risk |
Below 40 |
| Triglyceride |
| Optimal / Desirable |
Below 150 |
| Borderline high risk |
150 to 199 |
| High risk |
200 to 499 |
| Very high risk |
Above 499 |
| *Values are in milligrams/decilitres (mg/dl) |
Fun Fact: One out of every three adults has high cholesterol.
Cholesterol Ratio
- Total cholesterol levels are made up of three different types of cholesterol.
- High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is considered “good” cholesterol. It makes up 20-30 percent of a person’s total cholesterol level [1].
- Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is considered “bad” cholesterol and makes up 60-70 percent of the total in the body.
- Finally, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) is a precursor to LDL and makes up about 10-15 percent of a person’s total cholesterol.
Men
- 5.0 = average risk
- 3.4 = half the average risk
- 9.6 = twice the average risk
Women
- 4.4 = average risk
- 3.3 = half the average risk
- 7.0 = twice the average risk
| Cholesterol Ratio |
Risk Level |
| Less than 3.5 |
Optimal |
| 3.5 - 5.0 |
Low to moderate |
| 5.0 - 6.0 |
Moderate |
| 6.0 or higher |
High |
Good Cholesterol Ratio
Are you wondering what a good C is? You can use this total cholesterol calculator to find the following values:
Doctors will generally categorize a person’s total cholesterol like these.
>Less than 200 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dl)>200–239 mg/dl>240 mg/dl and above
| Desirable |
| Borderline high |
| High |
- LDL/HDL ratio is simply the LDL level divided by the HDL level. LDL/HDL ratio is one of the most popular measures of heart disease risk.
- Ideal: below 2.0
- Good: below 5.0
- Too high: above 5.0
- The triglyceride HDL ratio can be calculated by dividing your triglyceride level by your HDL level.
- It's a less popular indicator; nevertheless, it is also used to determine heart stroke risks.
- If you measure the values in mg/dL, the normal range for the triglyceride HDL ratio is:
- Ideal: 2.0 or less
- High: 4.0-6.0
- Too high: 6.0 or above
- For a calculation of this ratio in mmol/L (click on the advanced mode button), the normal range of the ratio value is different:
- Ideal: 0.87 or less
- High: 1.74-2.62
- Too high: 2.62 or above
- Check out our cholesterol units calculator to fully understand the conversion between mmol/L and mg/dL units.
- The total cholesterol HDL (TC HDL) ratio is found by dividing the total cholesterol level by the HDL level.
- The cholesterol HDL ratio is considered the worst of these three indicators – the American Heart Association does not recommend using it for diagnosis.
- Still, you can look at this number to get a general idea of your health condition.
- Ideal: under 3.5
- Good: under 5.0
- Bad: over 5.0
How to calculate the cholesterol ratio
People can use the following equations to calculate various cholesterol ratios:
Total cholesterol HDL Ratio = Total Cholesterol ÷ HDL
- To obtain their total cholesterol HDL ratio, a person can divide their total cholesterol level by their HDL level.
- A higher ratio means a higher risk of heart disease.
For example, 240 (total cholesterol) ÷ 60 (HDL) = 4 (total cholesterol HDL ratio).
Health experts designate the following total cholesterol HDL IDL ratios as follows:
- Ideal: under 3.5
- Good: under 5
- Bad: over 5
LDL- HDL ratio = LDL ÷ HDL
- People can work out their LDL-HDL ratio by dividing their LDL level by their HDL level.
- This ratio is one of the most popular measures to see a person’s risk of heart disease.
For example 100 (LDL) ÷ 55 (55) = 1.8 (LDL-HDL ratio).
Health experts designate the following cholesterol LDL HDL ratios as follows:
- Ideal: under 2.0
- Good: under 5.0
- Bad: over 5.0
- New Study found that the LDL-HDL ratio had links to an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in the middle-aged male population.
Triglyceride HDL ratio
- Triglyceride HDL ratio = Triglyceride level ÷ HDL
- People can calculate their triglyceride HDL ratio by dividing their triglycerides by their HDL level.
- This is not a common measurement method, but it can help determine a person’s risk of heart disease.
- For example, 200 (triglyceride level) ÷ 55 (HDL) = 3.6 (triglyceride HDL ratio).
Health experts designate the following triglyceride HDL ratios as follows:
- Ideal: 2.0 or less
- Good: 4.0 to 6.0
- Bad: over 6.0 or above
Non-HDL Cholesterol Ratio = Total Cholesterol – HDL
- As the name implies, this measure subtracts a person’s HDL level from their total cholesterol level so that it contains only all the “bad” cholesterol.
- For example, 240 (total cholesterol) – 70 (HDL) = 170 (non-HDL cholesterol ratio).
The HDL risk levels are categorized into
- High Risk - where the HDL is below 40 mg/dL
- Borderline - where the HDL is between 40 mg/dL and 59 mg/dL
- Optimal - where the HDL is 60 mg/dL and above
Fun Fact: Sweating can raise your good cholesterol levels. Aside from eating a healthy diet, including foods like heart-healthy salmon and avocado, you can raise your HDL levels
Tips for managing cholesterol levels
- Foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, and carbohydrates raise cholesterol levels, so eating less of these types of foods will help manage and reduce it.
- Many risks are associated with being overweight or obese, including increased cholesterol levels.
- Keeping a healthy weight helps all factors of health as well as reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Being active for at least 30 minutes per day raises the heart rate, helps with keeping a healthy weight, and reduces LDL cholesterol levels while increasing HDL cholesterol levels.
What Causes High Cholesterol
Causes of high LDL cholesterol include
- Diets high in saturated and hydrogenated fats can increase LDL cholesterol levels.
- Not getting enough exercise can lead to weight gain, which is linked to increased cholesterol levels.
- People who are overweight have an increased risk
- A chemical in cigarettes lowers HDL cholesterol levels and damages the lining of blood vessels, which can increase the risk of the hardening of the arteries.
- Some of these that can affect LDL cholesterol levels include type 2 diabetes, underactive thyroid, kidney or liver conditions, and alcohol addiction.
- For some women, cholesterol levels can rise after menopause.
- Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited form of high cholesterol that puts people at risk of early heart disease.
How to reduce LDL levels
The following lifestyle changes can help lower LDL cholesterol:
- maintaining a healthy weight
- exercising regularly
- quitting smoking
- using statin therapy when prescribed
- taking niacin (vitamin B-3) supplement
How to increase HDL levels
- The antioxidants in brightly colored fruit and vegetables have been shown to improve HDL cholesterol levels.
- Omega-3 fatty acids can lower blood cholesterol when consumed as part of a balanced diet.
- The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in oily fish, such as mackerel, trout, herring, sardines, fresh tuna, salmon, and halibut.
- Eating 2–3 portions of oily fish each week can increase HDL levels in the blood.
- Research shows that exercise and physical activity can raise HDL levels[2].
Conclusion
- High LDL cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, but it can often occur without any symptoms.
- It is recommended that people over 40 years of age arrange a blood test to check their cholesterol levels and total cholesterol to HDL ratio.
- Dietary and lifestyle changes can make a big difference to HDL and LDL levels.
- If they do not improve with these changes, a doctor may recommend medications.
All Cholesterol Calculators
Summary
Overall, cholesterol ratio calculator is helps assess your risk of developing heart disease. High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol can lead to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Check More Medical Health Related Calculator on Drlogy Calculator to get exact health solution.
Reference
- Cholesterol by Wikipedia [1].
- Cholesterol Levels [2].
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