Cholesterol Ratio Calculator

• Total : HDL ratio — total cholesterol ÷ HDL. Lower is better; under ~3.5 is often considered optimal and 5 or above is high.
• Non-HDL cholesterol — total minus HDL. It captures all the “bad” cholesterol and is a strong predictor of heart risk.
• LDL — the main “bad” cholesterol; lower is generally better. If you don’t know it, we estimate it from your triglycerides.
• HDL — “good” cholesterol that protects the heart; higher is better.

When you don’t enter LDL directly, we use the Friedewald equation: LDL = Total − HDL − (Triglycerides ÷ 5) in mg/dL. It’s a good estimate when triglycerides are below 400 mg/dL (about 4.5 mmol/L) and you’ve fasted; above that a lab measurement is more accurate.

• Total cholesterol: desirable under 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L)
• Non-HDL: desirable under 130 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L)
• LDL: optimal under 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L)
• HDL: protective at 60 mg/dL (1.5 mmol/L) or above; low under 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L)

Targets are individual — people at higher heart risk are often given lower LDL goals. Always interpret results with your clinician.