Unhealthy cholesterol levels

Clinically: Dyslipidaemia · also high cholesterol, hyperlipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia

cardiovascular ICD-10 E78.5 MONDO MONDO:0021187 unverified

This describes what this condition typically looks like. It is not a diagnosis and cannot tell you whether you have it -- patterns overlap, results vary between labs, and the same numbers mean different things in different people. Diagnosis usually rests on LDL cholesterol (calculated), Cholesterol, total, HDL cholesterol, interpreted alongside symptoms and history rather than read off a report.

unverified These explanations are written to be easy to read and have not yet been checked against a source. The ranges and measurement notes on this page show theirs.

definition unverified

The mix of fats in your blood carries more heart risk than it should. Most often that means too much LDL. Low HDL or high triglycerides often go with it.

Abnormal plasma lipid levels, conventionally the "lipid triad" of raised LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol and/or raised triglycerides, recognised as a major cardiovascular risk factor; there is no single agreed set of cut-offs, and definitions vary widely between studies.

caveats unverified

A number on its own means little. The same cholesterol carries very different risk depending on age, blood pressure, smoking, and family history, which is why risk is calculated rather than read off one line of a report.

No clinical version written yet.

The typical lab pattern

What the diagnosis rests on

The results a diagnosis is actually made on.

LDL cholesterol (calculated)	high	ref ≤ 100	Classification, not a single diagnostic test: in the NCEP ATP III scheme an LDL of 160–189 mg/dL is 'high' and 190 or more 'very high'. LDL is the main target of treatment.
Cholesterol, total	high	ref ≤ 200	Classification, not a single diagnostic test: in the NCEP ATP III scheme a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or more is 'high' (200–239 borderline high).
HDL cholesterol	low	ref ≥ 40	Classification, not a single diagnostic test: in the NCEP ATP III scheme an HDL below 40 mg/dL is 'low'.
Triglycerides	high	ref ≤ 150	Classification, not a single diagnostic test: in the NCEP ATP III scheme triglycerides of 200–499 mg/dL are 'high' (150–199 borderline high).