The relationship between total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is a calculation used to assess cardiovascular risk. It is derived by dividing the total cholesterol value by the HDL cholesterol value. The resulting ratio is a numerical indicator; for instance, a total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL and an HDL of 50 mg/dL yields a ratio of 4.0.
This calculation provides a readily available metric for evaluating potential heart health issues. A lower ratio is generally considered more favorable, indicating a reduced likelihood of cardiovascular events. Historically, this metric has been employed as a simple and cost-effective tool in preliminary risk assessments alongside other more comprehensive lipid panel analyses.
