The numbers on a standard cholesterol panel are far more useful when you combine them. Non-HDL cholesterol, the total-to-HDL ratio and the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio each capture risk that any single value misses. Enter your results below — in mmol/L or mg/dL — and this tool works them out, with the optimal ranges, in one go.
Only total cholesterol and HDL are required. Add triglycerides, LDL or ApoB if you have them and the tool will do more with them — including estimating your LDL when it isn’t reported.
How each figure is worked out
Non-HDL cholesterol = total cholesterol − HDL. Reference bands follow widely used secondary-prevention targets: optimal <2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL), with each band 30 mg/dL apart.
LDL (when not entered) is estimated with the Friedewald equation: LDL = total − HDL − (triglycerides ÷ 2.2) in mmol/L, or ÷ 5 in mg/dL. This is unreliable when triglycerides are high (above ~4.5 mmol/L / 400 mg/dL), so it is skipped there.
Total:HDL ratio — lower is better; under 3.5 is ideal. Triglyceride:HDL ratio is a rough marker of insulin resistance; its cut-offs are unit-specific and less well validated outside white populations, so read it as a flag, not a verdict.
Frequently asked questions
What is non-HDL cholesterol?
Non-HDL cholesterol is your total cholesterol minus your HDL — every cholesterol particle that can drive atherosclerosis, in one number. For most people it is a better treatment target than LDL alone, and it does not require fasting.
What is a healthy non-HDL cholesterol level?
As a rough guide, optimal is under 2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL). Your personal target is lower if you have had a heart attack or are at high cardiovascular risk — discuss the right number for you with your doctor.
What is a good total cholesterol to HDL ratio?
Lower is better: under 3.5 is ideal and above about 5 is considered high. It is a quick snapshot of cholesterol balance, but it should not replace looking at your ApoB or non-HDL cholesterol.