Cholesterol and triglyceride measurements in the US and elsewhere

	Measurement used within the US Milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL)	Measurement used most places outside the US Millimoles/liter (mmol/Liter)
	Level to aim for	Level to aim for
Total cholesterol	Below 200	Below 5.17
LDL cholesterol	Below 130 – or much lower if at risk of heart attack and stroke	Below 3.36 – or much lower if at risk of heart attack and stroke
HDL cholesterol	Above 60	Above 1.55
Triglycerides	Below 150	Below 1.7

Cholesterol is measured differently in the US than it is in most other countries. This table shows values used within and outside the US. It includes the cholesterol and triglyceride levels that most people who do not have heart disease should aim for.

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