Reference
LDL cholesterol chart
Every category the guidelines use, in both units, with the rest of the panel alongside it. Categories describe populations; your own target depends on cardiovascular risk.
LDL cholesterol
| Category | mg/dL | mmol/L | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimal | Under 100 | Under 2.59 | Below the goal for every risk category. |
| Near optimal / above optimal | 100–129 | 2.59–3.35 | At or below the goal for low and moderate risk. |
| Borderline high | 130–159 | 3.36–4.13 | Above the goal for anyone at high risk. |
| High | 160–189 | 4.14–4.90 | Treatment is usually recommended from here. |
| Very high | 190 and over | 4.91 and over | Counts as high risk on its own; consider familial hypercholesterolaemia. |
Non-HDL cholesterol
Total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol. It stays meaningful at any triglyceride level, which is why it is the fallback when the Friedewald equation is not valid.
| Category | mg/dL | mmol/L | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimal | Under 130 | Under 3.36 | Below 30 mg/dL above the LDL goal, as the guidelines put it. |
| Near optimal / above optimal | 130–159 | 3.36–4.13 | Acceptable for low and moderate risk. |
| Borderline high | 160–189 | 4.14–4.90 | Discuss with a clinician if risk factors are present. |
| High | 190–219 | 4.91–5.68 | Common when triglycerides are raised; valid at any triglyceride level. |
| Very high | 220 and over | 5.69 and over | Often reflects raised triglycerides as much as raised LDL. |
Total cholesterol
| Category | mg/dL | mmol/L | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desirable | Under 200 | Under 5.17 | The broad screening target for people without other risk factors. |
| Borderline high | 200–239 | 5.17–6.20 | Interpret alongside LDL and non-HDL rather than on its own. |
| High | 240 and over | 6.21 and over | Usually prompts a full lipid panel and risk assessment. |
Triglycerides
The measurement the Friedewald equation depends on, and the one that decides whether it can be used at all.
| Category | mg/dL | mmol/L | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Under 150 | Under 1.69 | Fasting values in this range keep the Friedewald equation on solid ground. |
| Borderline high | 150–199 | 1.69–2.25 | Often lifestyle-related; repeat fasting before acting. |
| High | 200–499 | 2.26–5.64 | The calculated LDL becomes less reliable from here upwards. |
| Very high | 500 and over | 5.65 and over | Above 500 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) the priority is the triglycerides themselves. |
HDL cholesterol
The one measurement in the panel with sex-specific cut-points, and the only one where higher is better.
HDL cholesterol is the only measurement here with different cut-points by sex: below 40 mg/dL (1.03 mmol/L) is low in men, below 50 mg/dL (1.29 mmol/L) in women.
| Category | mg/dL | mmol/L | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Under 40 | Under 1.03 | |
| Acceptable | 40–59 | 1.03–1.54 | |
| High (protective) | 60 and over | 1.55 and over |
Atherogenic index of plasma
A unitless ratio — the logarithm of triglycerides divided by HDL cholesterol, both in mmol/L. It is used in research and in some risk models, and needs no unit conversion.
| Category | Index value |
|---|---|
| Low risk | below 0.11 |
| Intermediate risk | 0.11 to 0.21 |
| High risk | 0.21 and above |
Treatment goals, not categories
The chart above describes where a value sits. What to do about it comes from cardiovascular risk, which is a different table entirely.
| Risk category | LDL-C goal | Also required |
|---|---|---|
| Very high risk | Below 55 mg/dL(1.40 mmol/L) | plus at least a 50% reduction from baseline LDL-C |
| High risk | Below 70 mg/dL(1.80 mmol/L) | plus at least a 50% reduction from baseline LDL-C |
| Moderate risk | Below 100 mg/dL(2.60 mmol/L) | — |
| Low risk | Below 116 mg/dL(3.00 mmol/L) | — |
Targets are population-level guidance from the 2019 ESC/EAS dyslipidaemia guidelines; the 2018 AHA/ACC guideline sets statin intensity by risk group instead of a numeric LDL-C target. Your own target is a clinical decision — this page cannot make it.
The rest of the panel
Four measurements, four pages: the composite that stays valid when triglycerides are high, the conversion factors, the full category chart, and the equation itself.
- Non-HDL cholesterol calculatorTotal cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol — the part of the panel that carries the atherogenic particles, and the measurement that stays valid when triglycerides are high.
- mg/dL to mmol/L converterConvert total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and triglycerides between mg/dL and mmol/L, using the separate factors each analyte actually needs.
- The Friedewald equationThe 1972 formula, why the divisor is 5 in mg/dL and 2.2 in mmol/L, and the exact triglyceride level at which it stops being trustworthy.
References
- 1.Friedewald WT, Levy RI, Fredrickson DS. Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem. 1972;18(6):499-502. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- 2.National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel. Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III), final report. Circulation. 2002;106(25):3143-3421. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- 3.Grundy SM, Stone NJ, Bailey AL, et al. 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol. Circulation. 2019;139(25):e1082-e1143. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- 4.Mach F, Baigent C, Catapano AL, et al. 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk. Eur Heart J. 2020;41(1):111-188. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- 5.Martin SS, Blaha MJ, Elshazly MB, et al. Comparison of a novel method vs the Friedewald equation for estimating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels from the standard lipid profile. JAMA. 2013;310(19):2061-2068. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- 6.Sampson M, Ling C, Sun Q, et al. A new equation for calculation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with normolipidemia and/or hypertriglyceridemia. JAMA Cardiol. 2020;5(5):540-548. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- 7.Dobiášová M, Frohlich J. The plasma parameter log (TG/HDL-C) as an atherogenic index: correlation with lipoprotein particle size and esterification rate in apoB-lipoprotein-depleted plasma (FER(HDL)). Clin Biochem. 2001;34(7):583-588. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
Content last reviewed 16 September 2026.Every cut-point and formula on this page is taken from the sources above.
Put your own numbers in the chart.
The calculator works out LDL cholesterol, the rest of the panel, and which category each value lands in — then tells you when the equation should not be trusted.