section name header

Info

Synonym

Tubes

Additional information:

Info

Clinical

Clinical Overview:

  1. Total cholesterol (TC) = LDL + HDL + Triglycerides/5 [Triglycerides/5 estimates VLDL]
  2. The total cholesterol seems to be much less important than the fractions of LDL ("bad"), HDL ("good"), and VLDL that make up the total cholesterol
  3. TC:HDL ratio seems predictive of cardiac risk (Framingham Heart Study)
  4. HDL>60 mg/dL offers cardiac protective, HDL<40 mg/dL increases cardiac risk
  5. LDL goals of <100 mg/dL are "optimal" for higher risk patients and <70 mg/dL may be sought for very high risk patients

Indications for testing total cholesterol levels include:

Additional information

Nl Result

Consult your laboratory for their normal ranges as these may vary somewhat from the ones listed below.

Note on total cholesterol:

The total cholesterol seems to be much less important than the fractions of LDL ("bad"), HDL ("good"), and VLDL that make up the total cholesterol

Conv. Units
(mg/dL)		SI Units
(mmol/L)
Adults
Desirable level140-1993.63-5.15
Borderline high200-2395.18-6.19
High>240>6.2
Adolescents (12-18 yrs)
Desirable<170<4.39
Borderline high170-1994.4-5.16
High>200>5.18
Child <12 years
Normal70-1751.81-4.53

High Result

Conditions associated with elevated cholesterol levels, include:

Drugs that increase the total cholesterol levels include:

*Note that some of these agents have variable affect and may decrease or increase cholesterol*

Low Result

Conditions associated with decreased cholesterol levels include:

Drugs that decrease total cholesterol level include:

*Note that some of these agents have variable affect and may decrease or increase cholesterol*

References