What is HDL-cholesterol?
HDL-cholesterol is a lipoprotein that is also usually called the "good" cholesterol. This is because HDL cholesterol has anti-inflammatory properties as well as the task of transporting cholesterol that is not needed to the liver for burning. This reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
A combination with many LDL particles and few HDL particles in the blood is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
What can high or low HDL cholesterol mean?
High HDL cholesterol can be seen with regular alcohol intake or treatment with estrogens, antiepileptics and bronchodilators.
A low HDL-cholesterol value occurs in, for example, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, liver diseases, kidney diseases and obesity.
HDL values that mean an increased risk of cardiovascular disease are < 1.3 mmol/L for women and < 1.0 mmol/L for men.
