Hikers make their way up the trail to Grays Peak, located on the Continental Divide. Paired with nearby Torreys Peak, the two mountains combine for a solid 1-2 punch for a beginner looking to summit their first fourteener. (Photo: Stephen Meyers/The Coloradoan )Buy Photo.
The ratio of HDL/LDL looks at the ratio of good cholesterol (HDL) to bad cholesterol (LDL). The ratio is determined by dividing the LDL cholesterol into the HDL cholesterol. For example, if a person has an HDL cholesterol of 50 mg/dL and an LDL cholesterol of 150 mg/dL, the HDL/LDL ratio would be 0.33. The goal is to keep the ratio above 0.3, with the ideal HDL/LDL ratio being above 0.4.
These guidelines can be used to determine healthy cholesterol ratios as well. For example, a patient with total cholesterol number 200, LDL number 100, and HDL number 60 has a Total/HDL cholesterol ratio of 200/60 and an LDL/HDL ratio of 100/60. This gives an optimal Total/HDL ratio of about 3.3:1 and an optimal LDL/HDL ratio of about 1.7:1.