“Overall cholesterol - do I need medication?”
I am 67 years old. My HDL level is >120. My LDL is 160. For years my DR has just laughed at my total cholesterol, because of the HDL. Should I be concerned?
Female | 67 years old
2 Answers
DoctorDoctor
To answer this question, they probably will need to be more then just a cholesterol panel to determine. There are other inflammatory markers in blood work as well as procedures that can be done by the cardiologist to risk stratify you. For example, even moving beyond just LDL and HDL, there are different particle sizes for both proteins that your doctor can help you with. A cardiologist can opt to do a calcium score for your heart.
You don't say what your total cholesterol level is. Although you have a high HDL, the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL is a helpful measure. If it is significantly less than 4 you may not need to take medicine. However, you have a very high LDL (bad cholesterol level). You might consult a cardiologist or an endocrinologist. If you have a family history of heart disease, you probably should take medication.
William Z. Cohen, M.D., FAAFP
William Z. Cohen, M.D., FAAFP
