The results of a blood test called a blood fat profile will include your total cholesterol level, which is the sum of your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, your HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and one-fifth of your triglycerides (HDLs + LDLs + 1/5 triglycerides). In general, the lower your LDL and higher your HDL, the more heart-healthy you are. Directly measuring LDL cholesterol is both difficult and expensive. Fortunately, LDL can be reliably calculated by directly subtracting HDL and triglycerides (which are easier to measure) from the total cholesterol, as long as triglycerides are under 400. However, this formula becomes unreliable when triglyceride levels are over 400, in which case LDL must be directly measured. The National Cholesterol Education Program classifies cholesterol levels as follows:

• Total cholesterol levels less than 200 are desirable.
  
• Total cholesterol levels between 200 and 239 are borderline-high.
  
• Total cholesterol levels that are equal to or above 240 are high.
  
• HDL levels should be 40 or greater for men and 50 or greater for women.
  
• LDL levels should optimally be less than 100. Levels greater than 129 are considered borderline-high and levels higher than 159 are considered high.

Typically, test results will also include the ratio of your total cholesterol to your HDL cholesterol. This ratio should be 5:1 or less. Strategies for improving this ratio include lowering cholesterol, lowering triglycerides and increasing HDL cholesterol.