PGP · Health Map
Heart & Circulation
A clear guide to blood pressure, blood lipids, and circulation.
See 5 ways to get started.Understand blood pressure and lipid readings for everyday heart care.
Guide to reading blood lipid values · Unit mg/dL
A clear guide to blood lipid results.
These values provide an initial adult guide. Individual targets depend on diabetes, kidney disease, smoking, and cardiovascular history.
Fat that accumulates in the walls of blood vessels
Low-to-moderate risk: LDL below 100 mg/dL.
For higher cardiovascular risk, an LDL target below 70 mg/dL may be used. Very high-risk people or those with established vascular disease may need a target below 55 mg/dL, determined by their doctor.
LDL of 160 mg/dL or higher warrants assessment of cardiovascular risk and family history. Do not wait for symptoms.
Helps transport cholesterol back to the liver.
Low values: Men below 40 · Women below 50 mg/dL.
Low HDL can signal increased risk, but a high HDL result does not cancel out high LDL. Interpret the full panel.
Triglycerides: fats that transport and store energy.
150–499 mg/dL: above normal range
Triglycerides can rise substantially with sugary drinks, refined flour, alcohol, poorly controlled diabetes, and excess calorie intake.
Triglycerides of 500 mg/dL or higher need medical assessment for pancreatitis risk; levels of 1,000 mg/dL or higher require urgent management.
Total cholesterol
Less than 200 mg/dL is the initial reference value.
Total cholesterol includes several components and cannot determine risk alone. Review LDL, HDL, and triglycerides together.
Non-HDL cholesterol is total cholesterol minus HDL. Targets may be below 130, 100, or 85 mg/dL, depending on risk.
These numbers are not universal safety limits. Do not use them to change or stop medication yourself.
- LDL
- Cholesterol-carrying particles whose excess is associated with arterial buildup. The appropriate target depends on cardiovascular risk.
- non-HDL
- Total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol. It reflects cholesterol in several types of particles that can contribute to arterial plaque, beyond LDL alone.
- Triglycerides
- A blood fat influenced by genetics, sugar, alcohol, weight, diabetes, and some medicines.
- Overall risk
- Assess age, blood pressure, diabetes, lipids, smoking, and family history together rather than relying on one result.
- Life’s Essential 8
- The American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 covers diet, activity, nicotine exposure, sleep, weight, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure.
Practical steps for daily life.
5 things you can choose to do one at a time
Start with what fits your life best, then make it a routine you can comfortably maintain.
- 01
Build meals around vegetables, beans, whole grains, and fruit without added sugar, with appropriate amounts of unsaturated fats.
- 02
Reduce fried foods, saturated fat, sugary drinks, sodium, highly processed foods, and frequent red or processed meat intake.
- 03
Build up walking and moderate activity according to your ability, alongside regular resistance exercise.
- 04
Avoid smoking and nicotine, get enough sleep, and manage weight without starvation or extreme diets.
- 05
Know your blood pressure, glucose, and lipid results. Take medicines as prescribed and review progress with your doctor.
