What is non-HDL cholesterol?
Non-HDL cholesterol, or non-HDL cholesterol, is a blood fat marker used to assess the risk of heart disease. It includes all lipoproteins that are not "high-density lipoproteins" (HDL), which means that it represents a total amount of cholesterol in low-density lipoproteins (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and other lipoproteins that can be atherogenic (promote the formation of plaques in the blood vessels).
Why do you calculate non-HDL cholesterol?
Non-HDL cholesterol is considered a useful indicator of cardiovascular risk because it includes the harmful cholesterol particles (LDL and VLDL) associated with plaque formation and blockage of blood vessels.
How Is Non-HDL Cholesterol Calculated?
To calculate non-HDL cholesterol, you need to know the total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels. Non-HDL cholesterol is calculated by subtracting HDL cholesterol from total cholesterol:
Non-HDL cholesterol = Total cholesterol − HDL cholesterol
Example: If the total cholesterol level is 5.2 mmol/L and the HDL cholesterol level is 1.3 mmol/L, the calculation is:
5.2 mmol/L − 1.3 mmol/L = 3.9 mmol/L
In this example, the non-HDL cholesterol level is therefore 3.9 mmol/L.
What can the value of non-HDL cholesterol indicate?
Normal levels of non-HDL cholesterol vary depending on individual risk factors and health conditions. Generally speaking, lower values are considered more desirable to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
