Lipid profile can help assess your risk of heart attack; learn how to read it correctly

According to Dr Bhamri, total cholesterol should be below 200, LDL should be below 100, triglycerides should be less than 150, and HDL should be more than 60 in males and more than 50 mg/dL in females. Agreed Dr Rajamanya, adding that while ideally, one’s LDL should be less than 100 mg/dL, “this target can vary based on individual risk factors”.

Lipid profile is one of the indicators of heart health (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Notably, cholesterol helps remove fat from bloodstream. “High levels of HDL prevent cardiovascular diseases among those suffering from such ailments. An ideal level of HDL is 60mg/dl or more. Triglycerides are yet another category of fat in the blood system. If their amount increases, it can cause artery wall blockage or thickening, increasing the chance of getting stroke, heart attack and coronary heart disease. The standard level for is a normal triglyceride level below 150mg/dl,” explained Dr Rajamanya.

To interpret your lipid profile effectively, Dr Rajamanya suggested considering these values collectively and in the context of other risk factors such as age, family history, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes. “For a more personalised assessment, tools like the Framingham Risk Score can estimate your 10-year risk of a heart attack based on your lipid profile and other health indicators,” said Dr Rajamanya.

Dr Varsha Koul, senior consultant, cardiology, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre noted that the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in India is different from the western population; studies show Indians tend to develop heart disease almost a decade earlier, despite having lower LDL cholesterol. Lipid provides critical insights into the probability of a heart attack.

The chances of one getting arterial blockages or heart disease are high when (TC) is found at levels above 240 mg/dL and LDL cholesterol is above 160 mg/dL. “Elevated risk is also presented by HDL cholesterol levels below 40 mg/dL. Other unfavourable lipid levels combined with high triglycerides (more than 200 mg/dL) are a particularly high-risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” said Dr Koul.