what does a test result of Hdl 27, LDL (Calc.) Trig>400 mean?
Total Cholestterol is 199 Chol/HDL Ratio is 7.4 and LDL/HDL Ration is Trig>400
I have no idea what that means.
Hi PJ,
Great question and I can see why you're confused. Let me make it simple for you.
HDL - 27
HDL is the "good" type of cholesterol. The more you have the better. You want your HDL to be above 40 and ideal if it's above 60. Physical activity is the best way to elevate HDL. Being physically active 5 or more days each week for at least 30 minutes will boost your HDL higher.
LDL - Since you do not have an exact number on your triglycerides, I'm not able to calculate your LDL accurately. I think it's safe to say that your LDL is less than 130, which is good. You want to keep LDL (bad) cholesterol less than 130.
Triglycerides - > 400
Triglycerides should be less than 200 and some MD's prefer less than 150. I recommend you check out this article - Triglycerides: Why they matter and how to lower them.
Total cholesterol - 199
Your total cholesterol is perfectly fine. You want it to be below 200.
So, to recap the areas to improve:
HDL - You want to increase this number through physical activity, limiting unhealthy fats, increasing healthy fats, and increasing dietary fiber.
Triglycerides - You want to decrease your triglycerides (see article above for tips).
As you make these changes, your ratio of total cholesterol to HDL will improve. You want a ratio that is less than 5 (ideally 3.5 or less).
All the best and if you have more questions be sure to ask!
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
- Thank you for your input
- Ranked Helpful (2)
- Report Abuse
Hello PJ,
I agree with the advice above, but let me make one additional comment. The reason that you do not have a LDL number is likely because your triglyceride number is so elevated.
Almost always, your LDL is calculated in a complicated formula from the direct measurement of HDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides. When your triglycerides are so high, the calculation is thrown way off, and gives a falsely low number.
You'll definitely need to make an appointment with your doctor about ways to lower your triglycerides and improve your HDL.
- Thank you for your input
- Ranked Helpful (3)
- Report Abuse
