I'm totally new to high cholesterol. I just found out my 40-year olf fiance has high cholesterol...330. I've been searching the internet for the last hour and can't find out how bad this is. All I keep finding is anything over 240 is high. Any sites that talk about "ultra high" numbers? Also, any dietary supplement suggestions? Any help would be appreciated... I'm freaking out... I lost my father to a heart attack - he was only 39. Thanks.

Hello, and welcome to the boards!

Yes, a total cholesterol of 330 is certainly high. But before we go pushing any panic buttons because of a single number, we really need additional information so that we can put things into perspective. For example, do you know what her HDL, LDL, and triglyceride numbers are? Also, there are other factors to consider, such as inflammation risk markers such as homocysteine, c-reactive protein (CRP), and lipoprotein(a). Do you have any of these numbers? Does she have a family history of heart disease? Any of this information can be helpful. Try to understand that a single total cholesterol number by itself means relatively little. In fact, many people with cholesterol levels as high as your fiance's often live to be well into their 80s and 90s without ever developing heart disease. So, if you can please provide us with as much additional information as possible, we can far better ascertain her relative risk.