What high CHOLESTEROL levels mean?

If you've been told you have high cholesterol, this may mean that you have a high total cholesterol level.

Total levels include your LDL level plus your HDL level. Or, it may mean that you have an acceptable total cholesterol level but a high LDL level.

A total cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dL to be desirable.

But your LDL level is the more important one to know - and to lower if it is high. An LDL level of 130 mg/dL or more is considered high.

What counts as high for you may depend on your other risk factors for heart disease. According to the 2001 guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program, lowering your LDL can reduce your risk of heart disease over the next 10 years by as much as 40%.