Your cholesterol ratio is a key indicator of your cardiovascular health. It compares your Total Cholesterol level to your High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol level. A lower ratio generally indicates a lower risk of heart disease.
How the Ratio is Calculated:
Ratio = Total Cholesterol (mg/dL) / HDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)
For example, if your Total Cholesterol is 200 mg/dL and your HDL Cholesterol is 50 mg/dL, your ratio would be 200 / 50 = 4. This is often expressed as 4:1.
Why is this important?
While Total Cholesterol is a measure of all the cholesterol in your blood, HDL cholesterol is often referred to as "good" cholesterol because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries. A higher HDL level, relative to your total cholesterol, is beneficial. A low HDL or a high total cholesterol can increase your risk of plaque buildup in arteries, leading to heart attack or stroke.
General Interpretation Guidelines (Consult your doctor for personalized advice):
Less than 2:1 – Excellent (Very Low Risk)
2:1 to 3:1 – Good (Low Risk)
3:1 to 4:1 – Average (Moderate Risk)
Greater than 4:1 – Higher Risk
This calculator provides a quick way to estimate your ratio based on your blood test results. Always discuss your cholesterol levels and ratio with your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and management plan.
function calculateCholesterolRatio() {
var totalCholesterolInput = document.getElementById("totalCholesterol");
var hdlCholesterolInput = document.getElementById("hdlCholesterol");
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
var cholesterolRatioResult = document.getElementById("cholesterolRatioResult");
var ratioInterpretation = document.getElementById("ratioInterpretation");
var totalCholesterol = parseFloat(totalCholesterolInput.value);
var hdlCholesterol = parseFloat(hdlCholesterolInput.value);
if (isNaN(totalCholesterol) || isNaN(hdlCholesterol)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers for both Total Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol.");
resultDiv.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
if (hdlCholesterol <= 0) {
alert("HDL Cholesterol must be a positive number.");
resultDiv.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
var ratio = totalCholesterol / hdlCholesterol;
var interpretation = "";
if (ratio = 2 && ratio = 3 && ratio < 4) {
interpretation = "Average (Moderate Risk)";
} else {
interpretation = "Higher Risk";
}
cholesterolRatioResult.textContent = ratio.toFixed(1) + ":1";
ratioInterpretation.textContent = "Interpretation: " + interpretation;
resultDiv.style.display = 'block';
}