CHOLESTEROL RISK CHART
The lipid chart below is based on research from the Framingham Heart Study as described by such heart specialists as Dr. William Castelli, Dr. Glen Griffith, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. John McDougall. The chart accurately measures the relationship between your total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, accompanying total cholesterol/HDL ratio and triglycerides. Total Cholesterol numbers run across the top of the chart, while HDL levels are along the sides. Simply match your total cholesterol with your HDL level, factor in triglycerides, and you will have a very good indication of the extent of your risk of cardiovascular disease. (NOTE: Although lipid levels are very good indicators of risk of cardiovascular disease, there are many other major and minor risk factors.
NOTE: Do charts that evaluate total cholesterol and HDL levels separately work? No! And they can be very dangerously misleading. This is due to the inter-related effects of the various components of cholesterol. As is evident in the chart below, if your cholesterol level is below 150 your risk of developing cardiovascular disease is almost non-existent no matter what your HDL levels are. This reflects the findings of the world-renowned Framingham Heart Study, whose medical director Dr. William Castelli noted: "People with total cholesterol levels under 150 just don't get heart disease." In his famed Framingham Heart Study, those who had a cholesterol level lower than 160 mg/dl suffered no heart attacks no matter what their HDL, LDL or triglyceride levels were. These findings are reflected accurately in the chart below.
Cholesterol Risk Chart
HDL is in the Left Column. Total Cholesterol is across the Top Row. Match the Two.
|
|
<150 |
151-160 |
161-170 |
171-180 |
181-190 |
191-200 |
201-210 |
211-220 |
221-230 |
|
<21 |
Low |
Average |
High |
High |
High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
|
21-30 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Average |
High |
High |
High |
Very High |
Very High |
|
31-35 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Average |
Average |
High |
HIgh |
High |
|
36-40 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Low |
Average |
Average |
High |
High |
|
41-45 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Average |
Average |
Average |
High |
|
46-50 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Low |
Average |
Average |
Average |
|
51-55 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Low |
Average |
Average |
|
56-60 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Low |
Low |
Average |
|
61-65 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Low |
Low |
|
66-70 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Low |
Low |
|
71-75 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low |
Low |
|
76-80 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
|
81-90 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
|
91-100 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
|
101-110 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
|
>110 |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
|
|
231-240 |
241-250 |
251-260 |
261-270 |
271-280 |
281-290 |
291-300 |
>300 |
|
<21 |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
|
21-30 |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
|
31-35 |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
|
36-40 |
High |
High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
Very High |
|
41-45 |
High |
High |