The short form

LDL Calculator is a general-information tool. It is not medical advice, not a diagnostic service, and not a substitute for a qualified clinician. Using it does not create a clinician–patient relationship.

What that means in practice

• A calculated LDL cholesterol is an estimate, not a measurement. The Friedewald equation infers LDL cholesterol from three other measurements. It is the number most laboratory reports print, but it is still an estimate — and above 400 mg/dL (4.5 mmol/L) triglycerides it is not considered valid at all.
• Categories are not goals. The optimal, borderline and high ranges on this site describe populations. Your own target depends on your cardiovascular risk, your age, and conditions this page knows nothing about. Two people with the same LDL cholesterol can have very different goals.
• Never change treatment because of this page. Do not start, stop or alter a medication, and do not disregard a clinician’s advice, because of a number calculated here. If a result surprises you, the first steps are to re-check the three inputs and ask whether your sample was fasting — not to change treatment.
• The site knows nothing about you. No age, sex, smoking status, blood pressure, diabetes status or family history is requested, so no risk score can be produced and no individual recommendation can be made. That is a structural limit, not a courtesy.

If something feels urgent

This site cannot help in an emergency, and no calculator should be the reason for delay. For chest pain, breathlessness, weakness on one side, slurred speech, or any symptom that feels severe or sudden, contact your local emergency number or urgent care service immediately.

Accuracy, and what to do about a result you do not believe

The arithmetic follows the published equation and the categories follow the cited guidelines, both of which are referenced on every page. Even so, no guarantee is given that the site is error-free or current: guidelines are revised and laboratory methods change.

If a result here disagrees with your laboratory report, the most likely causes are a transcription error, a different equation used by the laboratory, or a sample that was not fasting. Check the three inputs first, then compare like with like — a mg/dL result against a mg/dL result — and ask the laboratory which method it used. If the difference persists, trust your laboratory report and your clinician, not this page.

Corrections

A wrong number on a medical page is worth fixing immediately. Write tohello@ldlcalculation.com with the page, the claim and the source you would cite instead.