There have been additional studies showing that for people at high risk (already have heart disease) should aim for an LDL less 70. I am not sure when the studies (Heart Protection Study, Prove-IT, TNT, IDEAL) were done but I believe it was the past few years.
My LDL is 42. I alternate 40 mg Lipitor one night with 20 mg the next night. I also take 2000 mg of Niaspan.
Here is some info that I ripped off from people that make a fortune selling statin medications, lol.
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LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), also known as "bad" cholesterol
LDL carries cholesterol throughout the bloodstream as LDL-C. LDL-C is called “bad” cholesterol because it's the type that is primarily responsible for health issues. When there is too much LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood, it can lead to potentially serious conditions. As a rule, you want to keep your LDL-C low. How you go about doing that is a decision that you should make together with your doctor.
HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), also known as "good" cholesterol
Like LDL, HDL carries cholesterol, as HDL-C. HDL-C is considered "good" because it helps return cholesterol to the liver, where it can be eliminated from the body. As a rule, you want your HDL-C high.
Triglycerides
Triglycerides, like cholesterol, are another lipid carried by a lipoprotein. High triglycerides, like high cholesterol, can be dangerous to your health. People with high triglycerides often have high total cholesterol. As with LDL cholesterol, lower is better for triglycerides.
The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), part of the National Institutes of Health, has established guidelines for cholesterol levels. These guidelines put cholesterol numbers in different categories, ranging from normal to very high. While these guidelines can give you an idea of what your numbers may mean, the same numbers can mean different things for different people. You should work with your doctor to determine the right level for you, 000111.
LDL-C
Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100-129 mg/dL Near optimal/above optimal
130-159 mg/dL Borderline high
160-189 mg/dL High 190 mg/dL or higher Very high
Source: National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)
HDL-C
60 mg/dL or higher High
Less than 40 mg/dL Low
Source: National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)
Triglycerides
Less than 150 mg/dL Normal
150-199 mg/dL Borderline high
200-499 mg/dL High
500 mg/dL or higher Very high
Source: National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)