Hi Loretta,

What I've always read is 60 or above for HDL. My last labs I had 74
and my endo seemed pleased with that. The lab range listed was 38-72
so I am an overachiever! :)

Here's a basic article on cholesterol ranges. Not sure if you can open
a link or not so I listed most of it for you. As always, we are all
different and it's best to ask the doctor who knows our health history
and needs.

Kurt

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=183

Your Total Blood (or Serum) Cholesterol Level

Less than 200 mg/dL: Desirable
If your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are also at desirable levels
and you have no other risk factors for heart disease, total blood
cholesterol below 200 mg/dL puts you at relatively low risk of
coronary heart disease. Even with a low risk, however, it’s still
smart to eat a heart-healthy diet, get regular physical activity and
avoid tobacco smoke. Have your cholesterol levels checked every five
years or as your doctor recommends.

200–239 mg/dL: Borderline-High Risk
If your total cholesterol falls between 200 and 239 mg/dL, your doctor
will evaluate your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good)
cholesterol and triglycerides. It's possible to have borderline-high
total cholesterol numbers with normal levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol
balanced by high HDL (good) cholesterol. Work with your doctor to
create a prevention and treatment plan that's right for you. Make
lifestyle changes, including eating a heart-healthy diet, getting
regular physical activity and avoiding tobacco smoke. Depending on
your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and your other risk factors, you may
also need medication. Ask your doctor how often you should have your
cholesterol rechecked.

240 mg/dL and over: High Risk
People who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or more
typically have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people
whose cholesterol level is desirable (200 mg/dL). If your test didn’t
show your LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, your
doctor should order a fasting profile. Work with your doctor to create
a prevention and treatment plan that's right for you. Whether or not
you need cholesterol-regulating medication, make lifestyle changes,
including eating a heart-healthy diet, getting regular physical
activity and avoiding tobacco smoke.

Your HDL (Good) Cholesterol Level

With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL
cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women)
puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL
cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman,
they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or
higher gives some protection against heart disease.

Smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower
HDL cholesterol. To raise your HDL level, avoid tobacco smoke,
maintain a healthy weight and get at least 30–60 minutes of physical
activity more days than not.

People with high blood triglycerides usually also have lower HDL
cholesterol and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
Progesterone, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones (testosterone)
also lower HDL cholesterol levels. Female sex hormones raise HDL
cholesterol levels.

Your LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level

The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack
and stroke. In fact, it's a better gauge of risk than total blood
cholesterol. In general, LDL levels fall into these categories:

LDL Cholesterol Levels
Less than 100 mg/dL
Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL
Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL
Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL
High
190 mg/dL and above
Very High

Your other risk factors for heart disease and stroke help determine
what your LDL level should be, as well as the appropriate treatment
for you. A healthy level for you may not be healthy for your friend or
neighbor. Discuss your levels and your treatment options with your
doctor to get the plan that works for you.

The Cholesterol Heart Profilers is a great starting point for learning
about prevention and treatment options for your specific cholesterol
levels. This free, confidential online service creates a printable
report with the key information you need to fully understand your
cholesterol levels, health risks and treatment options. You'll get a
personalized cardiovascular disease risk profile, along with a summary
of treatment options, potential side effects, success rates and a list
of relevant medical journal articles and research studies, all
summarized in plain English.

Your Triglyceride Level

Triglyceride is a form of fat. People with high triglycerides often
have a high total cholesterol level, including high LDL (bad)
cholesterol and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Your triglyceride level will fall into one of these categories:

Normal: less than 150 mg/dL
Borderline-High: 150–199 mg/dL
High: 200–499 mg/dL
Very High: 500 mg/dL

Many people have high triglyceride levels due to being overweight/
obese, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol
consumption and/or a diet very high in carbohydrates (60 percent of
more of calories). High triglycerides are a lifestyle-related risk
factor; however, underlying diseases or genetic disorders can be the
cause.

The main therapy to reduce triglyceride levels is to change your
lifestyle. This means control your weight, eat a heart-healthy diet,
get regular physical activity, avoid tobacco smoke, limit alcohol to
one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men and limit
beverages and foods with added sugars. Visit your healthcare provider
to create an action plan that will incorporate all these lifestyle
changes. Sometimes, medication is needed in addition to a healthy diet
and lifestyle.

A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher is one of the risk factors
of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk for heart
disease and other disorders, including diabetes.

This section from the good reference Kurt provided is usually accepted
as the target to aim for:

"Your HDL (Good) Cholesterol Level

With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL
cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women)
puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL
cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman,
they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or
higher gives some protection against heart disease."

But, in addition to that, researchers are starting to find that the
level of your HDL and also the level of your triglycerides is a better
indicator of your future mortality than your LDL level. Basically, you
want your HDL to be good, at least at the levels mentioned above, and
your triglycerides to be reasonably low.

There are a couple of papers indicating that it is wise as type 2s to
have a trigs number (in mg/dl) that is not more than three times the
HDL number.

This is one example:
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/23/11/1679.full.pdf+html
Ratio of Triglycerides to HDL Cholesterol Is an Indicator of LDL
Particle Size in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Normal HDL
Cholesterol Levels

When reading that, note that it uses mmol/l; the ratio of 1.3:1
mentioned in the paper is equivalent to 3:1 in mg/dl.