Extremely High HDL levels

[mme6103]

I just received my cholesterol test results, and my HDL levels are extremely high. The verified by repeat analysis, and I am wondering what this means. I know that HDL are the good cholesterols, but I was wondering if they should be this high.

Cholesterol, Total    208 H  mg/dL       (100-199) normal range
Triglycerides      101 mg/dL                 (0-149)
HDL Cholesterol     106 H  mg/dL        (40-59)

[kenkeith]

Very high levels of HDL cholesterol has also been reported to be atherogenic (production of fatty degeneration in arteries).  It can be primary ( familial ) just as high cholesterol can be hereditary and cause can be unknown or it can be secondary due to environmental factors or medication, etc.

Reuters Health
Monday, February 4, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although HDL cholesterol is typically thought of as 'good' cholesterol, new data from a large study suggests that at very high levels, it may actually increase the risk of coronary artery disease.

...If  HDL is over 60, it may not actually confer the protective effect on your heart that previously thought it would!  

Do you have a family history of heart disease?  Are you on medication?  

[mme6103]

We have no family history of heart disease. I am on Premarin, Lamictal, and Synthroid.

[Kydiana]

Wow, sorry about your problem, mme6103, but I was glad to find out that I'm not a complete mutant. I posted a question yesterday about extraordinarily high HDL and suspected there might some cause for further investigation espite my doc's insistence that I should be happy because I am something like an HDL champion. My numbers are as follows:

Cholesterol Total     278
TG                         151
HDL                       149

My blood pressure is also quite high (it was up to 186/116 last summer before I got on to the 3 medications for it which I am now taking).  I don't have other of the standard risk factors. My doc seems to think that since the ratio is good I shouldn't worry about the High Total and what seems to be an unheard of high level HDL.  I should mention that I have had symptoms and some ambiguous lab results which appear to indicate I have SLE (lupus).

My research has shown there can be such a thing as pro-inflammatory HDL which can increase coronary heart disease but  my doc has dismissed this research  as "speculative"  and therefore nothing to worry about. Is it? Is there anything I can refer him to or resources you know of out there which might help? When I go to those cholesterol level risk calculator sites they won't even let me enter an HDL level over 100...arghh!

[Barbarella]

What was your LDL? the bad cholesterol?

[rmagda27]

Wow, I would take your high number over my too low number any day! Your HDL/LDL ratio is what matters most, so I would not be too terribly concerned. Plus the more HDL you have the better your arteries stay clean. Are you a runner or exercise regularly? They usually have very high HDL numbers.