Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Non-HDL Cholesterol?TypesSymptoms of High Non-HDL CholesterolCauses of High Non-HDL CholesterolTesting Non-HDL CholesterolTreating High Non-HDL Cholesterol
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Non-HDL Cholesterol?
Types
Symptoms of High Non-HDL Cholesterol
Causes of High Non-HDL Cholesterol
Testing Non-HDL Cholesterol
Treating High Non-HDL Cholesterol
Non-HDL cholesterol refers to all your cholesterol values minus your HDL cholesterol. In essence, it is a measure of the not-so-good cholesterol levels in your body. The higher your non-HDL levels, the greater your risk of cardiovascular disease.
When a healthcare professional draws blood to evaluate your cholesterol levels, they usually report four numbers:
What It Means When Your Lipoprotein Levels Are High
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Importance of Measuring Non-HDL Cholesterol
A non-HDL cholesterol level isn’t usually provided as part of your total cholesterol screening. However, research suggests that calculating your non-HDL cholesterol can provide a better picture of your risk of heart disease than LDL alone.
One reason for this is that the LDL level reported on your blood test is not actually measured in the lab. Rather, it is calculated from the other measurements.
Further, several formulas have been proposed for calculating the LDL level, and different laboratories use different formulas. This means that LDL values will vary to at least some extent in different labs.
In contrast, the value of non-HDL cholesterol is based on a simple and reproducible calculation (total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol).
So, if you have high triglycerides or other risk factors for heart disease, your healthcare provider may want to evaluate your non-HDL cholesterol and discuss your levels with you.
Types of Non-HDL Cholesterol
Low-Density Lipoprotein
LDLis a protein that transports cholesterol to and from cells. Because LDL mainly performs the job of carrying cholesterol to cells, high levels may cause plaque formation. This can cause arteries to narrow and harden. Plaque rupture may result in a heart attack or stroke.
Very-low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL)
Your liver makesVLDLso, at normal levels, it’s a healthy and necessary component of your blood. But, if levels rise too high, it may increase your risk of health problems like heart attack or stroke.
Intermediate-Density Lipoprotein (IDL)
Triglycerides
Triglyceridesare the most common type of fat in the body and store excess energy from your diet. High levels can increase heart disease risk, especially when combined with low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol levels.
Our body makes up all or most of the cholesterol we need to stay healthy, so we don’t need to consume too much in our diet. Lifestyle choices often contribute to high non-HDL levels, but you may be unaware of it since symptoms may not be apparent.
High cholesterol levels are usually detected on a blood test in the absence of symptoms, but you should be aware of the following warning signs:
Some people inherit defective cholesterol-transporting genes from their parents, a condition calledfamilialhypercholesterolemiathat results in abnormally high cholesterol levels. But for most people, an unhealthy lifestyle is the culprit.
Behaviors that can negatively affect your cholesterol levels include:
Alipid panelis a blood test that shows your total cholesterol levels. As previously mentioned, LDL is “bad” cholesterol and HDL is “good” cholesterol, but keep an eye on triglyceride levels because they also put you at higher risk of heart disease.
Fasting Before a Lipid Test
Optimal non-HDL levels are below 130 mg/dL for both adult men and women.
Optimal HDL levels are 40 mg/dL for adult men and 50 mg/dL for adult women. Levels below this increase your risk of heart disease.
Optimum triglyceride levels are below 150 mg/dL. Triglyceride levels above 200 mg/dL are especially concerning, as studies show this greatly increases an individual’s risk of developing atherosclerosis and heart disease.
LDL Levels
Triglyceride Levels
As mentioned, the test for non-HDL cholesterol isn’t usually part of screening for your total cholesterol, but your healthcare provider may check these levels if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or other risk factors for heart disease.
Non-HDL Levels
Current cholesterol guidelines recommend a non-HDL cholesterol level of 30 mg/dL higher than your desired LDL cholesterol level. As an example, if you’d like to lower your LDL to 100 mg/dL, your non-HDL goal should be 130 mg/dL. Medical professionals advise lowering LDL and non-HDL cholesterol at the same time to limit your risk of heart disease.
If you have underlying health concerns such as diabetes, a family history of heart disease, or other risk factors (e.g., smoking), you and your healthcare provider should discuss your individual cholesterol level targets. You may need to aim for lower levels.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes are the first line of defense against rising non-HDL levels. Healthy lifestyle measures include:
Medication
High intensity, aiming for at least a 50% reduction in LDL-C
Moderate intensity, aiming at a 30% to 49% reduction in LDL-C
Low intensity, aiming at an LDL-C reduction of less than 30%
Non-statin drugs such as Zetia (ezetimibe) andPCSK9 inhibitors—Repatha (evolocumab), Praluent (alirocumab), and Leqvio (inclisiran)—can be added to statin therapy or used alone to further lower cholesterol levels.
Who Should Take Statin Drugs and When
Summary
Non-HDL cholesterol is a measure of the not-so-good cholesterol levels in your body. The higher your non-HDL levels, the greater your risk of cardiovascular disease. This is often detected via blood testing before any symptoms are present, but you might notice fatty, yellow deposits on your skin or have chest pain.
As with many health issues, poor diet, a lack of exercise, and habits like smoking contribute to high cholesterol levels. Lifestyle changes and medication can be used to lower non-HDL levels.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Rochester Medical Center.Lipid Panel With Non-HDL Cholesterol.Soran H, Adam S, Mohammad JB, et al.Hypercholesterolaemia - practical information for non-specialists.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):1-21. doi:10.5114/aoms.2018.72238American Heart Association.Causes of High Cholesterol.MedlinePlus.Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Healthy Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Adults With Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Behavioral Counseling Interventions.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult activity.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.Reiter-Brennan C, Osei AD, Iftekhar Uddin SM, et al.ACC/AHA lipid guidelines: Personalized care to prevent cardiovascular disease.CCJM. 2020;87(4):231-239. doi:10.3949/ccjm.87a.19078Novartis.FDA approves Novartis Leqvio (inclisiran), first-in-class siRNA to lower cholesterol and keep it low with two doses a year.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Rochester Medical Center.Lipid Panel With Non-HDL Cholesterol.Soran H, Adam S, Mohammad JB, et al.Hypercholesterolaemia - practical information for non-specialists.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):1-21. doi:10.5114/aoms.2018.72238American Heart Association.Causes of High Cholesterol.MedlinePlus.Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Healthy Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Adults With Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Behavioral Counseling Interventions.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult activity.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.Reiter-Brennan C, Osei AD, Iftekhar Uddin SM, et al.ACC/AHA lipid guidelines: Personalized care to prevent cardiovascular disease.CCJM. 2020;87(4):231-239. doi:10.3949/ccjm.87a.19078Novartis.FDA approves Novartis Leqvio (inclisiran), first-in-class siRNA to lower cholesterol and keep it low with two doses a year.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Lipid Panel With Non-HDL Cholesterol.Soran H, Adam S, Mohammad JB, et al.Hypercholesterolaemia - practical information for non-specialists.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):1-21. doi:10.5114/aoms.2018.72238American Heart Association.Causes of High Cholesterol.MedlinePlus.Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Healthy Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Adults With Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Behavioral Counseling Interventions.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult activity.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.Reiter-Brennan C, Osei AD, Iftekhar Uddin SM, et al.ACC/AHA lipid guidelines: Personalized care to prevent cardiovascular disease.CCJM. 2020;87(4):231-239. doi:10.3949/ccjm.87a.19078Novartis.FDA approves Novartis Leqvio (inclisiran), first-in-class siRNA to lower cholesterol and keep it low with two doses a year.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Lipid Panel With Non-HDL Cholesterol.
Soran H, Adam S, Mohammad JB, et al.Hypercholesterolaemia - practical information for non-specialists.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):1-21. doi:10.5114/aoms.2018.72238
American Heart Association.Causes of High Cholesterol.
MedlinePlus.Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Healthy Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Adults With Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Behavioral Counseling Interventions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult activity.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease risk factors.
Reiter-Brennan C, Osei AD, Iftekhar Uddin SM, et al.ACC/AHA lipid guidelines: Personalized care to prevent cardiovascular disease.CCJM. 2020;87(4):231-239. doi:10.3949/ccjm.87a.19078
Novartis.FDA approves Novartis Leqvio (inclisiran), first-in-class siRNA to lower cholesterol and keep it low with two doses a year.
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