Clay County Health Department

Leading the way to a Healthier Clay

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Main Administrative Office:
1305 Idlewild Ave, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 (904) 529-2800

Clinic:
3229 Bear Run Boulevard, Orange Park, FL 32065 (904) 272-3177

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Your Total Cholesterol Number Cholesterol Heart

Total Cholesterol
A total cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dL is desirable is your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are also at desirable levels and you have no other risk factors for hear disease.

Total Blood (or Serum) Cholesterol Level Ranges are as follows:
Less than 200 mg/dL: Desirable
200–239 mg/dL: Borderline-High Risk
240 mg/dL and over: High Risk 

 
HDL (Good) Cholesterol Number
With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher gives some protection against heart disease.

LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Number
The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, it's a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. In general, LDL levels fall into these categories:.

LDL Cholesterol Levels
Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL High
190 mg/dL and above Very High

Your Triglyceride Level

Triglyceride is a form of fat. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level, including high LDL (bad) cholesterol and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Your triglyceride level will fall into one of these categories:

  • Normal: less than 150 mg/dL
  • Borderline-High: 150–199 mg/dL
  • High: 200–499 mg/dL
  • Very High: 500 mg/dL

Many people have high triglyceride levels due to being overweight/obese, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol consumption and/or a diet very high in carbohydrates (60 percent of more of calories). High triglycerides are a lifestyle-related risk factor; however, underlying diseases or genetic disorders can be the cause.

© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Prevention Counts

  • In the past 100 years, life expectancy has increased by 30 years. 25 years of the 30 year gain can be attributed to public health measures, and only 5 years to curative medicine.

  • It is estimated that reducing saturated fat intake by 1 to 3 percentage points would save $4.1 to $12.7 billion in health care costs and lost productivity over a 10-year period.

  • Each $1 spent on diabetes outpatient education saves $2 to $3 in hospitalization costs.

  • Smoking cessation programs in pregnancy can save $6 for each $1 spent.

 What Creates Health? 

Pie Graph of What Creates Health - Genetics 20%, Medical Care 10%, Socioeconomic Factors 20%, Lifestyle and Behavior 50%  

Costs of Chronic Diseases

  • More than 90 million Americans live with chronic illnesses

  • Chronic diseases account for 70% of all deaths in the United States

  • Chronic diseases account for 1/3 of the years of potential life lost before the age of 65.

  • In 1990, the total cost of chronic disease, which includes lost productivity, premature death, and disability, reached $655 billion in the United States.

  • The cost of treating chronic disease totals more than 60% of total medical care expenditures.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Annual Report 1994: Health, United States, 1994