You have a lot of numbers to keep track of when it comes to your health, and cholesterol is a big one.
Good cholesterol, bad cholesterol and total cholesterol are just a few.
Your liver makes all the cholesterol you need, but cholesterol also comes from foods you eat such as animal and dairy products. It helps with digestion and makes hormones that convert vitamin D in the skin, among other things.
Avera Heart Hospital interventional cardiologist John Wagener, MD, is here to explain how all these numbers can tell the story of your arteries.
“You may not realize your cholesterol is increasing with any noticeable symptoms,” said Wagener. “That’s why a yearly checkup is key. If you catch it early, diet and exercise changes may be enough to move the needle.”
Basic Cholesterol Numbers to Know
You’ve probably heard about your good and bad cholesterol. They’re two important players in your heart health. These numbers are tracked by your primary care provider as you age and provide a baseline for your heart health. It’s part of your yearly checkup, which is covered 100% by most health insurance plans.
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) | Less than 100
Considered bad cholesterol because too much can contribute to fatty buildup in arteries. This increases risk for heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD is caused by a build-up of fats and cholesterol that can block the arteries that take blood to our legs.
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) | 60 or greater
Called good cholesterol because they remove cholesterol from the bloodstream and artery walls. A healthy HDL level can also help protect you against heart attack and stroke.
Triglycerides | Less than 50
This is the most common type of fat in the body and they store excess energy from foods you eat. A high triglyceride level with high LDL or low HDL is also linked to fatty buildup within artery walls for increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Total cholesterol | Below 200
This is also a key indicator your provider looks at. It measures the total amount of cholesterol in your blood. HDL + LDL + 20% triglycerides = Total Cholesterol
The Connection between Cholesterol and Calcium
Cholesterol is transported to other organs and tissue through the bloodstream. Your HDL or good cholesterol is responsible for bringing your bad cholesterol back to the liver to be flushed out of the system.
But your good cholesterol can only flush so much LDL from your bloodstream, so as bad cholesterol increases it starts to get left behind and start sticking to your artery walls.
To determine your risk of this happening, doctors may consider your cholesterol ratio. An optimal cholesterol ratio is 3.5 to 1. It signals your body is working properly in flushing extra cholesterol from the body.
A Heart Screening Gives You the Full Picture
After 40 you may be recommended for a cardiovascular screening. Besides screening blood pressure and cholesterol, this test also takes into consideration family history, exercise and diet. It also includes a low-dose CT scan to detect calcium buildup, and ultrasound testing of major arteries to check for blockages. A calcium score of 0 is what you want; your risk starts building once it passes 10. Scores above 400 represent strong proof that coronary artery disease is present.
It’s a great way to look at all the factors that might be affecting your risk for heart disease so you can create a plan that works for you.
“A Planet Heart screening can help people make educated choices about their health,” Wagener said. “If you are at low or moderate risk, that’s important information. Ideally, your body can do the work of keeping your arteries clean of plaque buildup. It’s a great peace of mind to get screened and know where your risk is.”
A heart screening includes an immediate consultation. So if your risk is high, you’ll talk to someone right away to get you on a path to better health, which may include seeing a cardiologist.
