My total cholesterol is 249, triglycerides is 104 mg/dl, HDL 90, LDL 134, VLDL21. Do I need to be concerned?

I am 100lbs, 5 feet tall and 53 years old. Don't exercise and have reseanably decent food habits. Never smoked, don't drink. My confusion arises from the conflict between (a) the bad high LDL score and (b( the really good HDL score, the really good total to HDL ratio, the really good LDL to HDL ratio. A related question I have is whether I can deduct say, 40 points, off the total cholesterol score on the basis that if I have normal rather than extra good HDL scores it would be about 40 points less. That would leave my total score closer to 200.

Doctor left message along with scores saying everything is fine. Always had low blood pressure, no diabetes, family history of anything, any other risk factors, 67 heart rate. Does eat oatmeal now and then but usually omit breakfast. I do eat double digit helpings of fruit and vege very very often. Have good knowledge about cholesterol and have researched internet extensively. Could not find anything specific answering my question.

The HDL of 90 is fantastic. Wow! Are you sure you heard him right? The LDL would be better under 120, but its still ok where it is. I wouldn't be happy with Triglycerides that high myself even though they are normal. Mine run under 50 because I don't eat sugar.
I agree with the poster who said don't worry about total cholesterol. That is simply a really cheap test that is often performed. You have had a full blood workup and have a much better idea of what is going on. Your HDL is so high (wonderful!) that the results of the total cholesterol are skewed and look high when they really aren't. Just ignore them. The total cholesterol test is not a good predictor of anything, it is just a cheap test that is over-performed.

If you cut down on carbs (sugars) such as grains, sugar and high sugar fruits and increase protein your triglycerides will go down even further. Choose fruits lower in sugar like berries and melons rather than high sugar fruits like bananas and papayas. If you choose to eat grains just limit them and never eat refined only whole grains. Eat the fruit don't drink the juice (fruit juice is just sugar water). Things like that along with taking sugar out of your diet will make your numbers look even better.

Yes you should be concerned. You first goal would be to start exercising 15 - 20 minutes 3x weekly and you need to alter your diet. Include oatmeal daily for breakfast for 2 months. Your Dr should have given you some advice. Is there any blockage? What is your blood pressure? Are you a diabetic? There are other factors that can play into your numbers that you need to be aware of. Call you doctor and MAKE him give you answers.

Forget the total cholesterol score. It is more important to understand the components.
an HDL score of 90 is excellent especially for a female. An LDL of 134 is not great (but lower than mine). It would be beneficial to lower your LDL to less than 100. If you have a family history of heart disease, or you have diabetes, or other risk factors for heart disease you should definately consider more aggressive preventive treatment otherwise you try lowering cholesterol with good diet and exercise. Overall your profile is not very bad.

If you need more cholesterol information try visiting http://the-health-information-network.co...

Make sure to check out http://the-health-information-network.co...

Take care,

Tom

Isn't it interesting how stress is most probably a real causal factor in heart disease, yet all so called cholesterol levels and their interpretation does is create stress. Mate, if taking 40 points of your score alleviates some stress, then do it. These figures are meaningless anyway.
First of all we are told that total cholesterol is the cause of CHD. When the studies didn't confirm this it was changed to LDL levels. Now that it's apparent that this is not the case, all the talk is about HDL or LDL/HDL ratios. Once the big pharms develop drugs to lower C Reactive proteins,regardless of whether it reduces the inflammation that causes C Reactive Protein, we will see this theory mystically transform yet again.
The following articles are about the most informative, and impartial, that I have found. They are all by the same bloke, but he combines real science with logic, something dearly missing in the cholesterol hype. And for those of you to whom it matters, he does have letters after his name.
Sit back, relax , have a read and most importantly, don't stress, We can even watch the cholesterol theory ostriches all bury their heads in the sand (Yes I know ostriches don't realy do it,but that makes it so apt to this subject)