LDL cholesterol is known to be a very important "thermometer" of cardiovascular risk. Its values are in fact linked to the theoretical probability of suffering a disease related to atherosclerosis, such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, stroke or intermittent claudication . These diseases, overall, represent the leading cause of death in our country and in the rest of the industrialized world; their etiopathogenesis is therefore the subject of intense research. At the current state of the art, cardiovascular risk has become a complex topic, influenced as it is by many factors.
In light of all these elements it is clear that the LDL cholesterol values desirable for a carrier of multiple risk factors must necessarily be lower than those ideal for a perfectly healthy individual, precisely because the cardiovascular risk - and in general all that concerns human health - should be considered from a global perspective.
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Below we provide the reader with a simple calculation form that, based on the results of a famous epidemiological study " the Framingham Heart Study ", provides an estimate of the risk of suffering a heart attack or dying of coronary heart disease after ten years from the calculation. The results are valid only for adults who are over twenty years of age and who have NOT received a diagnosis of heart disease or diabetes. These are obviously theoretical calculations, based on epidemiological data and as such to be taken with "pincers". However, if the computer returns a particularly high cardiovascular risk, the data should be understood as an urgent invitation to adopt new and better life habits, as recommended by your doctor.
The calculator also provides ideal LDL cholesterol values based on various cardiovascular risk factors; please note that these values should be less than 100 mg / dL if you suffer from heart disease, peripheral arterial disease (arteropathy of the lower limbs) or diabetes. These values are subject to periodic reviews based on new epidemiological evidence; in particular, the latest guidelines provide stricter limits than those given above:
| Ideal values LDL cholesterol | ||
|---|---|---|
| mg / dL | mmol / L | Interpretation |
| <70 | <1.8 | Optimal values for people with high cardiovascular risk |
| <100 | <2.6 | Optimal values for people with average cardiovascular risk |
| 100 - 129 | 2.6 - 3.3 | Optimal LDL cholesterol for healthy people |
| 130 - 159 | 3.3 - 4.1 | LDL cholesterol near the limit values that outline the excess |
| 160 - 189 | 4.1 - 4.9 | High LDL cholesterol |
| > 190 | > 4.9 | Very high LDL cholesterol |
The calculation module has a purely illustrative purpose and is not intended in any way to replace the instructions of the attending physician and other health professionals, to which we refer to receive personalized indications on the desirable values of LDL cholesterol and on the medical repercussions of one's risk profile .
