Calculate your cardiovascular risk from cholesterol levels. Understand LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. Free cholesterol calculator. Not medical advice.
A total cholesterol number alone tells you very little — what matters is the ratio of LDL (bad) to HDL (good) cholesterol and your triglyceride levels. Our calculator interprets your full lipid panel results, calculates your LDL-to-HDL ratio, and explains what your numbers mean for your cardiovascular risk.
Total cholesterol: under 200 desirable, 200-239 borderline high, 240+ high. LDL (bad cholesterol): under 100 optimal, 100-129 near optimal, 130-159 borderline high, 160+ high. HDL (good cholesterol): under 40 (men) or 50 (women) is low risk factor, 60+ is protective. Triglycerides: under 150 normal, 150-199 borderline, 200-499 high, 500+ very high. Non-HDL cholesterol (total minus HDL) is increasingly considered most predictive.
Dietary changes with strongest evidence: Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats — olive oil instead of butter. Add soluble fiber — oats, beans, lentils, apples lower LDL 5-10%. Eat fatty fish 2x per week for omega-3s which lower triglycerides. Reduce added sugar and refined carbs which raise triglycerides. Exercise: 30 minutes moderate aerobic 5x per week raises HDL 5-10%. Weight loss: every 5-10 lbs lost improves all lipid markers.
LDL above 160 is considered high and warrants lifestyle intervention. Above 190 is very high and often treated with medication regardless of other risk factors. However the cardiovascular risk interpretation depends on context — LDL of 130 in a diabetic smoker is far more dangerous than in a healthy 25-year-old non-smoker. Risk calculators like the ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations give more personalized risk than numbers alone.
General guidelines: Adults 20+: every 4-6 years if low risk and normal results. Adults with risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, family history, smoking, obesity): annually or as directed by doctor. Children: at least once between 9-11 and once between 17-21 per American Academy of Pediatrics. After starting cholesterol medication: every 3 months initially then annually.
Not necessarily — depends on your overall cardiovascular risk profile not just the cholesterol number alone. Doctors use 10-year ASCVD risk calculators considering age, blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and cholesterol together. Low overall risk with borderline high cholesterol: try lifestyle changes for 3 months first. High overall risk: medication likely appropriate regardless of lifestyle changes.
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The Cholesterol Level Calculator — Understand Your Heart Health Risk uses the same formulas, rates, and reference data that financial planners, professionals, and government sources publish. Results are estimates intended for planning and education — for situations involving large sums or legal consequences, confirm with a qualified professional before acting.
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