CHOLESTEROL RISK CHART

The lipid chart below is based on research from the Framingham Heart Study as described by
such heart specialists as Dr. William Castelli, Dr. Glen Griffith, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. John
McDougall. The chart accurately measures the relationship between your total cholesterol, HDL
cholesterol, accompanying total cholesterol/HDL ratio and triglycerides. Total Cholesterol
numbers run across the top of the chart, while HDL levels are along the sides. Simply match
your total cholesterol with your HDL level, factor in triglycerides, and you will have a very good
indication of the extent of your risk of cardiovascular disease. (NOTE: Although lipid levels are
very good indicators of risk of cardiovascular disease, there are many other major and minor risk
factors.
NOTE: Do charts that evaluate total cholesterol and HDL levels separately work? No! And they
can be very dangerously misleading. This is due to the inter-related effects of the various
components of cholesterol. As is evident in the chart below, if your cholesterol level is below 150
your risk of developing cardiovascular disease is almost non-existent no matter what your HDL
levels are. This reflects the findings of the world-renowned Framingham Heart Study, whose
medical director Dr. William Castelli noted: "People with total cholesterol levels under 150 just
don't get heart disease." In his famed Framingham Heart Study, those who had a cholesterol
level lower than 160 mg/dl suffered no heart attacks no matter what their HDL, LDL or
triglyceride levels were. These findings are reflected accurately in the chart below.

Cholesterol Risk Chart

HDL is in the Left Column. Total Cholesterol is across the Top Row. Match the Two.
<150 151-160 161-170 171-180 181-190 191-200 201-210 211-220 221-230
<21 Low Average High High High Very High Very High Very High Very High
21-30 Very Low Very Low Low Average High High High Very High Very High
31-35 Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Average Average High HIgh High
36-40 Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low Average Average High High
41-45 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Average Average Average High
46-50 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low Average Average Average
51-55 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low Average Average
56-60 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low Low Average
61-65 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low Low
 66-70 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low Low
71-75 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low
76-80 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low
81-90 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low
91-100 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low
101-110 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low
>110 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low

  231-240 241-250 251-260 261-270 271-280 281-290 291-300 >300

<21 Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High
21-30 Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High
31-35 Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High
36-40 High High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High
41-45 High High High Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High
46-50 High High High High Very High Very High Very High Very High
51-55 Average High High High High Very High Very High Very High
56-60 Average Average High High High High Very High Very High
61-65 Average Average Average High High High Very High Very High
66-70 Low Average Average Average High High High Very High
71-75 Low Low Average Average Average High High Very High
76-80 Low Low Low Average Average High High Very High
81-90 Very Low Low Low Low Average Average High High
91-100 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Low Average High
101-110 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Low Average
>110 Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Very Low Average

To factor in triglyceride, move to the right of the chart the designated number of columns

<250 0 columns
251-350 1 column
351-500 2 columns
501-700 3 columns
701-1000 4 columns
1001-1250 5 columns
1251-1500 6 columns
1501-2000 7 columns
>2000 9 columns

Copyright 2000, Cardiology Reports, All Rights Reserved

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