What should you understand about a cholesterol report?

LDL is the number most directly linked to cardiovascular risk and the main treatment target. HDL is protective but raising it pharmacologically has not proven beneficial. Triglycerides respond strongly to refined carbohydrates and alcohol, and are frequently raised in Indian patients. Total cholesterol alone is a poor guide. Crucially, the target LDL is not universal — it depends on your overall risk, so someone with diabetes or existing heart disease needs a much lower number than someone without. Non-HDL cholesterol and, where available, Lipoprotein(a) are worth asking about, as Lp(a) is elevated more often in South Asians.