If you need to know which are the cholesterol reference ranges or you require more information about the role of cholesterol in the blood, you can visit normal cholesterol level in the blood
A high level of cholesterol in the blood, called hypercholesterolemia, is a sign of a metabolic problem. It can be due to an unhealthy lifestyle (unbalanced diet, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise) or an excessive production of cholesterol in the liver.
Cholesterol in the blood is used as a cardiovascular risk factor. Cholesterol level estimates the possibility of suffering a cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, etc.). The higher the cholesterol level in the blood the higher the possibility to suffer a cardiovascular disorder. The possibility increases if there are additional cardiovascular risks (overweight, smoking, high blood pressure, etc.).
Cholesterol values are usually given in mg/dl but sometimes you can see those values in mmol/l following the International System of Units (SI). In case your values are in mmol/l you can convert them using this tool:
Cholesterol in the blood is a bit high but for the moment, it is not a matter for concern.
In people at low cardiovascular risk, it is advisable to practice regular exercise and keep a balanced diet. It is recommended to monitor the cholesterol level every 6 to 12 months.
In people at high cardiovascular risk (with previous heart attacks or strokes), it should be considered if taking medication to reduce cholesterol (statins) is appropriate.
Moderate hypercholesterolemia requires follow-up.
In people at low cardiovascular risk and with less than two cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle) only diet and regular exercise is required. In case of more than two cardiovascular risk factors, medication should be added.
In people at high cardiovascular risk (with previous cardiovascular problems), medication is needed.
Cholesterol level is too high and requires regular follow-up.
In people at low cardiovascular risk (no smoking, no obesity, no diabetes and no high blood pressure), it is recommended to follow a strict diet and take regular exercise.
In people at high cardiovascular risk, it is advisable to add pharmacological treatment, with potent cholesterol-lowering drugs.
It is recommended to monitor the cholesterol level frequently (every 3 to 6 months).
Severe hypercholesterolemia is associated generally with genetic disorders. There is usually a family history of cardiovascular diseases at an early age.
You should keep an exhaustive follow-up and regular monitor in lipid metabolism units. The risk of suffering a cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, angina pectoris, etc.) at an early age is very high.
The treatment is to follow a strict diet and take potent cholesterol-lowering drugs.
There are some health circumstances or drugs than can raise your cholesterol level in the blood:
There are many medical diseases why the cholesterol level in the blood can be higher than normal:
If your cholesterol level in the blood is high, you should follow a healthy lifestyle:
If your doctor considers it appropriate he may prescribe you cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins).
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The following values are considered to be above the normal range:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in mg/dl. They are an example of a healthy man of about 45 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
Total cholesterol | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild hypercholesterolemia | |||||||
| 201 mg/dl | 202 mg/dl | 203 mg/dl | 204 mg/dl | 205 mg/dl | 206 mg/dl | 207 mg/dl | 208 mg/dl |
| 209 mg/dl | 210 mg/dl | 211 mg/dl | 212 mg/dl | 213 mg/dl | 214 mg/dl | 215 mg/dl | 216 mg/dl |
| 217 mg/dl | 218 mg/dl | 219 mg/dl | 220 mg/dl | 221 mg/dl | 222 mg/dl | 223 mg/dl | 224 mg/dl |
| 225 mg/dl | 226 mg/dl | 227 mg/dl | 228 mg/dl | 229 mg/dl | 230 mg/dl | 231 mg/dl | 232 mg/dl |
| 233 mg/dl | 234 mg/dl | 235 mg/dl | 236 mg/dl | 237 mg/dl | 238 mg/dl | 239 mg/dl | 240 mg/dl |
| Moderate hypercholesterolemia | |||||||
| 241 mg/dl | 242 mg/dl | 243 mg/dl | 244 mg/dl | 245 mg/dl | 246 mg/dl | 247 mg/dl | 248 mg/dl |
| 249 mg/dl | 250 mg/dl | 251 mg/dl | 252 mg/dl | 253 mg/dl | 254 mg/dl | 255 mg/dl | 256 mg/dl |
| 257 mg/dl | 258 mg/dl | 259 mg/dl | 260 mg/dl | 261 mg/dl | 262 mg/dl | 263 mg/dl | 264 mg/dl |
| 265 mg/dl | 266 mg/dl | 267 mg/dl | 268 mg/dl | 269 mg/dl | 270 mg/dl | 271 mg/dl | 272 mg/dl |
| 273 mg/dl | 274 mg/dl | 275 mg/dl | 276 mg/dl | 277 mg/dl | 278 mg/dl | 279 mg/dl | 280 mg/dl |
| 281 mg/dl | 282 mg/dl | 283 mg/dl | 284 mg/dl | 285 mg/dl | 286 mg/dl | 287 mg/dl | 288 mg/dl |
| 289 mg/dl | 290 mg/dl | 291 mg/dl | 292 mg/dl | 293 mg/dl | 294 mg/dl | 295 mg/dl | 296 mg/dl |
| 297 mg/dl | 298 mg/dl | 299 mg/dl | 300 mg/dl | ||||
| Marked hypercholesterolemia | |||||||
| 301 mg/dl | 302 mg/dl | 303 mg/dl | 304 mg/dl | 305 mg/dl | 306 mg/dl | 307 mg/dl | 308 mg/dl |
| 309 mg/dl | 310 mg/dl | 311 mg/dl | 312 mg/dl | 313 mg/dl | 314 mg/dl | 315 mg/dl | 316 mg/dl |
| 317 mg/dl | 318 mg/dl | 319 mg/dl | 320 mg/dl | 321 mg/dl | 322 mg/dl | 323 mg/dl | 324 mg/dl |
| 325 mg/dl | 326 mg/dl | 327 mg/dl | 328 mg/dl | 329 mg/dl | 330 mg/dl | 331 mg/dl | 332 mg/dl |
| 333 mg/dl | 334 mg/dl | 335 mg/dl | 336 mg/dl | 337 mg/dl | 338 mg/dl | 339 mg/dl | 340 mg/dl |
| 341 mg/dl | 342 mg/dl | 343 mg/dl | 344 mg/dl | 345 mg/dl | 346 mg/dl | 347 mg/dl | 348 mg/dl |
| 349 mg/dl | 350 mg/dl | 351 mg/dl | 352 mg/dl | 353 mg/dl | 354 mg/dl | 355 mg/dl | 356 mg/dl |
| 357 mg/dl | 358 mg/dl | 359 mg/dl | 360 mg/dl | 361 mg/dl | 362 mg/dl | 363 mg/dl | 364 mg/dl |
| 365 mg/dl | 366 mg/dl | 367 mg/dl | 368 mg/dl | 369 mg/dl | 370 mg/dl | 371 mg/dl | 372 mg/dl |
| 373 mg/dl | 374 mg/dl | 375 mg/dl | 376 mg/dl | 377 mg/dl | 378 mg/dl | 379 mg/dl | 380 mg/dl |
| 381 mg/dl | 382 mg/dl | 383 mg/dl | 384 mg/dl | 385 mg/dl | 386 mg/dl | 387 mg/dl | 388 mg/dl |
| 389 mg/dl | 390 mg/dl | 391 mg/dl | 392 mg/dl | 393 mg/dl | 394 mg/dl | 395 mg/dl | 396 mg/dl |
| 397 mg/dl | 398 mg/dl | 399 mg/dl | 400 mg/dl | ||||
| Severe hypercholesterolemia | |||||||
| 401 mg/dl | 402 mg/dl | 403 mg/dl | 404 mg/dl | 405 mg/dl | 406 mg/dl | 407 mg/dl | 408 mg/dl |
| 409 mg/dl | 410 mg/dl | 411 mg/dl | 412 mg/dl | 413 mg/dl | 414 mg/dl | 415 mg/dl | 416 mg/dl |
| 417 mg/dl | 418 mg/dl | 419 mg/dl | 420 mg/dl | 421 mg/dl | 422 mg/dl | 423 mg/dl | 424 mg/dl |
| 425 mg/dl | 426 mg/dl | 427 mg/dl | 428 mg/dl | 429 mg/dl | 430 mg/dl | 431 mg/dl | 432 mg/dl |
| 433 mg/dl | 434 mg/dl | 435 mg/dl | 436 mg/dl | 437 mg/dl | 438 mg/dl | 439 mg/dl | 440 mg/dl |
| 441 mg/dl | 442 mg/dl | 443 mg/dl | 444 mg/dl | 445 mg/dl | 446 mg/dl | 447 mg/dl | 448 mg/dl |
| 449 mg/dl | 450 mg/dl | 451 mg/dl | 452 mg/dl | 453 mg/dl | 454 mg/dl | 455 mg/dl | 456 mg/dl |
| 457 mg/dl | 458 mg/dl | 459 mg/dl | 460 mg/dl | 461 mg/dl | 462 mg/dl | 463 mg/dl | 464 mg/dl |
| 465 mg/dl | 466 mg/dl | 467 mg/dl | 468 mg/dl | 469 mg/dl | 470 mg/dl | 471 mg/dl | 472 mg/dl |
| 473 mg/dl | 474 mg/dl | 475 mg/dl | 476 mg/dl | 477 mg/dl | 478 mg/dl | 479 mg/dl | 480 mg/dl |
| 481 mg/dl | 482 mg/dl | 483 mg/dl | 484 mg/dl | 485 mg/dl | 486 mg/dl | 487 mg/dl | 488 mg/dl |
| 489 mg/dl | 490 mg/dl | 491 mg/dl | 492 mg/dl | 493 mg/dl | 494 mg/dl | 495 mg/dl | 496 mg/dl |
| 497 mg/dl | 498 mg/dl | 499 mg/dl | 500 mg/dl | 501 mg/dl | 502 mg/dl | 503 mg/dl | 504 mg/dl |
| 505 mg/dl | 506 mg/dl | 507 mg/dl | 508 mg/dl | 509 mg/dl | 510 mg/dl | 511 mg/dl | 512 mg/dl |
| 513 mg/dl | 514 mg/dl | 515 mg/dl | 516 mg/dl | 517 mg/dl | 518 mg/dl | 519 mg/dl | 520 mg/dl |
| 521 mg/dl | 522 mg/dl | 523 mg/dl | 524 mg/dl | 525 mg/dl | 526 mg/dl | 527 mg/dl | 528 mg/dl |
| 529 mg/dl | 530 mg/dl | 531 mg/dl | 532 mg/dl | 533 mg/dl | 534 mg/dl | 535 mg/dl | 536 mg/dl |
| 537 mg/dl | 538 mg/dl | 539 mg/dl | 540 mg/dl | 541 mg/dl | 542 mg/dl | 543 mg/dl | 544 mg/dl |
| 545 mg/dl | 546 mg/dl | 547 mg/dl | 548 mg/dl | 549 mg/dl | 550 mg/dl | 551 mg/dl | 552 mg/dl |
| 553 mg/dl | 554 mg/dl | 555 mg/dl | 556 mg/dl | 557 mg/dl | 558 mg/dl | 559 mg/dl | 560 mg/dl |
| 561 mg/dl | 562 mg/dl | 563 mg/dl | 564 mg/dl | 565 mg/dl | 566 mg/dl | 567 mg/dl | 568 mg/dl |
| 569 mg/dl | 570 mg/dl | 571 mg/dl | 572 mg/dl | 573 mg/dl | 574 mg/dl | 575 mg/dl | 576 mg/dl |
| 577 mg/dl | 578 mg/dl | 579 mg/dl | 580 mg/dl | 581 mg/dl | 582 mg/dl | 583 mg/dl | 584 mg/dl |
| 585 mg/dl | 586 mg/dl | 587 mg/dl | 588 mg/dl | 589 mg/dl | 590 mg/dl | 591 mg/dl | 592 mg/dl |
| 593 mg/dl | 594 mg/dl | 595 mg/dl | 596 mg/dl | 597 mg/dl | 598 mg/dl | 599 mg/dl | 600 mg/dl |
| 601 mg/dl | 602 mg/dl | 603 mg/dl | 604 mg/dl | 605 mg/dl | 606 mg/dl | 607 mg/dl | 608 mg/dl |
| 609 mg/dl | 610 mg/dl | 611 mg/dl | 612 mg/dl | 613 mg/dl | 614 mg/dl | 615 mg/dl | 616 mg/dl |
| 617 mg/dl | 618 mg/dl | 619 mg/dl | 620 mg/dl | 621 mg/dl | 622 mg/dl | 623 mg/dl | 624 mg/dl |
| 625 mg/dl | 626 mg/dl | 627 mg/dl | 628 mg/dl | 629 mg/dl | 630 mg/dl | 631 mg/dl | 632 mg/dl |
| 633 mg/dl | 634 mg/dl | 635 mg/dl | 636 mg/dl | 637 mg/dl | 638 mg/dl | 639 mg/dl | 640 mg/dl |
| 641 mg/dl | 642 mg/dl | 643 mg/dl | 644 mg/dl | 645 mg/dl | 646 mg/dl | 647 mg/dl | 648 mg/dl |
| 649 mg/dl | 650 mg/dl | 651 mg/dl | 652 mg/dl | 653 mg/dl | 654 mg/dl | 655 mg/dl | 656 mg/dl |
| 657 mg/dl | 658 mg/dl | 659 mg/dl | 660 mg/dl | 661 mg/dl | 662 mg/dl | 663 mg/dl | 664 mg/dl |
| 665 mg/dl | 666 mg/dl | 667 mg/dl | 668 mg/dl | 669 mg/dl | 670 mg/dl | 671 mg/dl | 672 mg/dl |
| 673 mg/dl | 674 mg/dl | 675 mg/dl | 676 mg/dl | 677 mg/dl | 678 mg/dl | 679 mg/dl | 680 mg/dl |
| 681 mg/dl | 682 mg/dl | 683 mg/dl | 684 mg/dl | 685 mg/dl | 686 mg/dl | 687 mg/dl | 688 mg/dl |
| 689 mg/dl | 690 mg/dl | 691 mg/dl | 692 mg/dl | 693 mg/dl | 694 mg/dl | 695 mg/dl | 696 mg/dl |
| 697 mg/dl | 698 mg/dl | 699 mg/dl | 700 mg/dl | 701 mg/dl | 702 mg/dl | 703 mg/dl | 704 mg/dl |
| 705 mg/dl | 706 mg/dl | 707 mg/dl | 708 mg/dl | 709 mg/dl | 710 mg/dl | 711 mg/dl | 712 mg/dl |
| 713 mg/dl | 714 mg/dl | 715 mg/dl | 716 mg/dl | 717 mg/dl | 718 mg/dl | 719 mg/dl | 720 mg/dl |
| 721 mg/dl | 722 mg/dl | 723 mg/dl | 724 mg/dl | 725 mg/dl | 726 mg/dl | 727 mg/dl | 728 mg/dl |
| 729 mg/dl | 730 mg/dl | 731 mg/dl | 732 mg/dl | 733 mg/dl | 734 mg/dl | 735 mg/dl | 736 mg/dl |
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