High-density lipoprotein test

In general, your risk for heart disease, including a heart attack, increases if your HDL cholesterol level is less than 40 mg/dL.

An HDL 60 mg/dL or above helps protect against heart disease.

Women tend to have higher HDL cholesterol than men.

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

Low HDL levels may be a sign that you have an increased risk for atherosclerotic heart disease.

A low HDL level may also be associated with:

• Familial combined hyperlipidemia
• Noninsulin-dependent diabetes (NIDD)
• Use of certain drugs such as anabolic steroids, antipsychotics, beta blockers, corticosteroids, and protease inhibitors

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Review Date: 05/23/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)