Why is Cholesterol Calculation so confusing?

I was confused when I found out how Total Cholesterol is calculated. Total Cholesterol = HDL + LDL + (Triglycerides/5)

And they say Total Cholesterol should be lower than 200. The problem is that they also say that HDL should be higher than 40. Isn't this conflicting?

For eg.

Person A (HDL=30 , LDL=130 , Triglycerides=150) So Total = 190

Person B (HDL=50 , LDL=130 , Triglycerides=150) So Total = 210

So even if the Total Cholesterol of Person B is higher, he's in a much better shape as all three HDL, LDL, Triglycerides are in range

Its not really conflicting because HDL is your "good" cholesterol which helps counteract the "bad" LDL cholesterol so keeping your LDL, HDL and trigs in range individually and having a good ratio is more important than the total

Tend to agree with captjane

That's why a useful measurement is TC/HDL with a goal of under 4.

It's not solely one ratio that is taken into account for diagnosing hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolaemia.

As previously stated, ratios are now used rather than LDL or/and TC as they are more accurate in determining the onset of heart disease within a ten year period.

Here in the UK the 'high risk' ratio thresholds are as follows. The Trigs/HDL is now used as the most reliable predictive ratio.

Yack.


TC/HDL ratio should =<4.5
LDL/HDL ratio should =<3.2
Trig/HDL ratio = <2

So, in the UK, if your Trig/HDL ratio was say.... 1.39 would you be prescribed a statin even though your other 2 ratios were higher than "normal" ? Also, if you are prescribed a statin, is it recommended that you supplement with CoQ10? I understand that in Canada it is somewhat required with a statin ( and I agree) but many Dr's in the US don't seem to think it is that important. Just wondering

Hi Imacarbuff
Good questions.

Your Trigs could be 80mg/dl and your HDL 40mg/dl giving you a ratio of 2.0..being acceptable.

However, if your LDL is say 149 this would give a LDL/HDL ratio of 3.72 placing you in the high risk category. So one positve and one negative ratio.
Is the 3rd. the decider? Probably.
Hence the reason why I said "It's not solely one ratio that is taken into account for diagnosing......"

I was placed on a Statin in 2009 and know many other people over here in the UK also on a Statin never had Co-enzyme Q10 mentioned to them by their doctor at the time of the initial prescription.

For a good many year now I have been recommending Nature's Plus Red Yeast Rice at 600mg each evening. Why? Because it works, and without the side effects of Statins. I trust this particular substance so much that I have been treating my wife with it for several years now with dramatic results. Of course, she is also taking 100mg COq10........Not really required with RYR but........Just in case. Having said that COq10 should be taken by everyone over 35 years old anyway.

My personal GP is an Indian doctor who I have grown to respect over the many years that I have been seeing him. I remember asking him once why the British National Health Service did not prescribe COq10 along with a Statin drug.
Reply...What is Co-enzyme Q10?

So there you go, it's not just over the pond where the majority of doctors know very little outside their 'vision of medical science'.

Yack.