Cholesterol numbers

[Vivian]

I got my cholesterol readings back yesterday from my annual check up. Everything looks good: total 196, HDL 76, LDL 111 and Triglycerides 45.

I'm confused, because I thought that hdl ldl and tri's should add up to close to the total cholesterol. Have I got that mixed up?

[LisaS]

the formula uses triglycerides/5

LDL = Total - HDL - (TRI/5)

so in your case 196 - 76 - 45/5 = 111

[Vivian]

Thanks for your help!

[Carri]

Can someone help me with converting my UK blood lipid results into american numbers? I have been desperately wanting to know them in numbers I can understand. What are these results in American terms?

Total Cholesterol 4.5 HDL 1.3 LDL 3.2 Tri. 1.2

I also just noticed that my overall total cholesterol has come down since 5/05 which was 5.8!!! So I am excited although I know I need to exercise to get my HDL numbers up much higher. Any help on these numbers as to what they are in American will be so helpful to me.

Thanks, Carri

[Billie]

Carri I can't help but Mitra will be around when she wakes up in the morning and I bet our UK neighborhood can help!

[Carri]

Thanks Billie,
I have asked many of my english friends here but they don't know and neither does my doctor! I have done a google search and still haven't found anything. I hope someone knows.
Carri

[LisaS]

To convert mmol/l of HDL or LDL cholesterol to mg/dl, multiply by 39.
To convert mg/dl of HDL or LDL cholesterol to mmol/l, divide by 39.

To convert mmol/l of triglycerides to mg/dl, multiply by 89.
To convert mg/dl of triglycerides to mmol/l, divide by 89.

and here is a site that talks about the numbers in mmol/l terms:
http://www.cvtoolbox.com/cvtoolbox1/cholesterol/ch.html

and if you want to use the equation to double check the LDL calc, you don't take TRI/5 when given in mmol/l , you have to use a different number, but I can't remember what it is <g>

however, your numbers straight up (LDL + HDL) = TOTAL so I'm not sure if they are lumping TRI in with LDL or what.

[Gabriel Guzman]

Lisa, thank you for the useful information.



and if you want to use the equation to double check the LDL calc, you don't take TRI/5 when given in mmol/l , you have to use a different number, but I can't remember what it is

however, your numbers straight up (LDL + HDL) = TOTAL so I'm not sure if they are lumping TRI in with LDL or what.


The formula is the same formula that's used to estimate LDL, called The Friedewald Formula:

LDL=TC-(VLDL + HDL),

where VLDL is the fraction of Very Low Density Lipoproteins.

From that formula one can estimate TC as being practically the sum of all lipoproteins (actually there are 5 types but only these three are included int eh calculation).

If one is using mg/dl, then VLDL is TG divided by 5 (TG/5), whereas if one is using mmol/L, the number is 2.2, that is TG/2.2.

The problem using this formula, which was first poposed in the 70s, is that the ratio VLDL to triglycerides is not constant and changes as triglycerides increase. The authors of the formula noted this disadvantage so the calculation is not recommended when triglycerdies are above 4.52 mmol/L (~400 mg/dl). However, one thing they didn't note is that the formula gives considerable error if the triglycerides are low as well, in the range of 2.27 mmol (~200 mg/dl). If we consider that the range in which triglyceride results are routinely reported from clinical laboratories is between 2.27 and 4.52 mmol/L (~200-400 mg/dl), then the error in the estimation in LDL really bedevils it's clnical use. In fact, the error in the estimation of LDL using that formula when triglycerides are between 200-400 mg/dl ranges from 25-40%, clearly unacceptable. The error is unavoidable because, as noted above, the ratio VLDL to TGs is not constant and changes as triglycerides change. Nonetheless, the LDL number obtained by the Friedewald Formula is one of the factors in the physicians' decsion making whether or not to prescribe cholesterol lowering drugs.

In other words... and LDL value calculated from the formula is pretty much useless unless and adds no information as to the type of LDL particle that dominates the whole LDL fraction of the lipoproteins.

[LisaS]

I'm familiar with Freidewald, as I said, I couldn't remember the factor for TG om mmol/l and figured it was either so small as to be negligable (since 1.3+3.2=4.5) or else the Brits were for some reason reporting VLDL in with LDL, and yet still reporting TG. Now that you refresh me that the factor is 2.2, it is clear.

[Carri]

Ok, so I still am alittle confused. I divided my Tri. (1.2) by 2.2 and came up with
0.5454545 . What does that make it? Such a small amount that it doesn't add to the total Cholesterol amount? Can you spell it out black and white for me as I'm not very good with this kind of stuff. What would my Tri. number be? and do I add it to my TC count? So far I have come up with:

LDL 124.8
HDL 50.7
TC 175.

Are these correct?
Thank you so much you brainy :rolleyes: types in helping me with this!
Carri :o

[banshee]

Ok, so I still am alittle confused. I divided my Tri. (1.2) by 2.2 and came up with
0.5454545 . What does that make it? Such a small amount that it doesn't add to the total Cholesterol amount? Can you spell it out black and white for me as I'm not very good with this kind of stuff. What would my Tri. number be? and do I add it to my TC count? So far I have come up with:

LDL 124.8
HDL 50.7
TC 175.

Are these correct?
Thank you so much you brainy :rolleyes: types in helping me with this!
Carri :o

Carri,

The division by 2.2 is part of the formula for calculating LDL. To get your actual Trig #, LisaS says to multiply by 89, so your Trig number is 106.8.

Basically, the test results return TC, HDL and Trig, and then they use those numbers to calculate the LDL. And as Gabe said, the formula they use isn't fully accurate, so the LDL figure is hard to take seriously unless it was measured directly...

I'd say your numbers look excellent - congratulations! And your HDL is in the "good" range - above 50 is considered good, 60 and above is considered excellent.

[LisaS]

here is a page that explains it, has guidelines expressed in both types of units, and has a calculator on TG for the math challenged.
http://www.reducetriglycerides.com/reader_triglycerides_conversion.htm

[Carri]

Thanks so much all you guys! That really helps. That site you recommended was good to.
Carri :)