Since high blood cholesterol signals a higher risk of heart attack, it’s important to have your cholesterol levels checked regularly and discuss them with your doctor. Your doctor will test your total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol and will tell you about these readings. You may also ask your doctor to tell you about your LDL and triglyceride readings, if these were taken.

 
What should my total cholesterol level be?

• Desirable—Less than 200 mg/dl
• Borderline—High 200 to 239 mg/dl
• High Risk—240 mg/dl and over

What should my HDL-cholesterol level be?

HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. HDL is considered "good" cholesterol because it seems to protect you from heart attack. That means that — unlike other cholesterol levels — the higher your HDL, the better.

You can raise your HDL by quitting smoking, improving your diet, losing excess weight and being more active. Make healthy lifestyle changes to raise your HDL and reduce your risk of heart attack.

HDL-Cholesterol Levels

• High risk—Less than 35 mg/dl
• Desirable—More than 60 mg/dl

What should my LDL-cholesterol level be?

LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. This is the main carrier of harmful cholesterol in your blood. A high level of LDL means there’s a higher risk of heart disease.

LDL-Cholesterol Levels

• Desirable—Less than 100 mg/dl
• Borderline—High 100 to 159 mg/dl
• High—160 mg/dl or higher

What should my triglyceride level be?

Most of your body fat comes in the form of triglycerides. Butter, margarine and vegetable oil are triglycerides, too. High triglyceride levels can result from being overweight, an improper diet, drinking a lot of alcohol, or having diabetes or other disorders. It’s not clear yet whether triglycerides are a risk factor for heart disease or not.

Triglyceride Levels

• Normal—Less than 150 mg/dl
• Borderline—High 150 to 199 mg/dl
• High—200 to 499 mg/dl
• Very High—Greater than 500 mg/d