Answer :
Final answer:
A desirable level of total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, which includes HDL, LDL, and a portion of triglycerides. LDL levels should be low, while HDL levels should be high to minimize heart disease risk.
Explanation:
The blood lipid profile is an important measure in assessing cardiovascular health. A desirable level of total cholesterol is < 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). This metric is crucial because it sums up all forms of cholesterol in the blood, including 'good' cholesterol or HDL cholesterol, 'bad' cholesterol or LDL cholesterol, and 20% of the triglyceride value. We aim for a low LDL level (ideally less than 100 mg/dL) to reduce the risk of heart disease and a high HDL level (above 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women) to maintain protective effects against cardiovascular events.
