Reaching your cholesterol targets

What are cholesterol targets?

Cholesterol targets are specific cholesterol levels that you are trying to reach with your treatment plan. Meeting these targets will help you reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

There are several ways to measure your cholesterol levels. Here are a few markers that your doctor might use to help understand your risk of developing heart disease and your treatment plan.

• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C is sometimes called "bad" cholesterol since it can clog your arteries and increase your risk for heart disease.
  For many years, this was the preferred measurement for understanding your heart disease risk. Recent studies have found that LDL-C might not be very accurate for everyone. Your doctor may use other markers like your non-HDL-cholesterol or apolipoprotein B levels instead.
• Triglycerides (TG) are not the same thing as cholesterol. They are another type of fat often found in the body. TG can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. When your TG level is high, your LDL-C levels might not be accurate.
• Non-HDL-cholesterol (non-HDL-C) measures all types of cholesterol other than HDL-C (sometimes called "good" cholesterol). It is equal to the total cholesterol (TC) minus the HDL-C. It can represent how much harmful cholesterol you have in your blood.
• Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is the main protein found in several types of "bad" cholesterol including LDL-C. Like Non-HDL-C, it can also represent how much harmful cholesterol there is in your blood.

It's important to know your cholesterol levels and to keep your cholesterol in check by following your treatment plan. Effective treatment saves lives. Talk to your doctor to find out what your cholesterol levels are, what they should be, and what you can do to keep your cholesterol under control.

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