NUMBER YOUR DOCTOR WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT

Number your doctor will be concerned about

• High total cholesterol. This number reflects the total amount of cholesterol found in all the lipoproteins (LDL, HDL, VLDL) circulating in the blood. According to the American Heart Association, a value of less than 200 mg/dL is desirable for a relatively low risk of heart disease.

• Low HDL. To keep your heart and blood vessels in top shape, it is beneficial to have as high a concentration of HDL particles in the blood as possible. Too low an amount is unhealthy. According to the American Heart Association, a value of less than 40 mg/dL heightens your risk of heart disease.

• High LDL. The higher your LDL, the higher your risk of heart and vessel disease. As you will learn, LDL is the most telltale sign of risk. According to the American Heart Association, an optimal level of LDL cholesterol is less than 100 mg/dL.

• High triglyceride. Your triglyceride value reflects the amount of blood fats circulating. A high number is also a risk factor for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, a normal triglyceride level is less than 150 mg/dL.

• High ratio of total cholesterol to HDL. Some physicians use the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol to determine risk for heart disease. A high number means there is too little "good" cholesterol and too much "bad" cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, the optimal ratio is 3:5:1 or less.