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LDL Cholesterol
Abbreviation: LDL-C
Panel: Cholesterol & Lipids · All cholesterol & lipids tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | Optimal <100 mg/dL |
| SI units | Optimal <2.59 mmol/L |
Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.
What a high or low result can mean
High ldl cholesterol: high values can be seen in familial hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, and diets high in saturated fat.
These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.
Good to know
Often calculated from total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides; calculation is less reliable when triglycerides are very high.
Related tests — Cholesterol & Lipids
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.