The cholesterol ratio. Knowing about cholesterol is important in gauging your risk for a heart attack and taking steps to lower the risk. Heart attacks are the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. About 1.2 million people have a heart attack each year, and of those 550,000 die.
Cholesterol exists in different forms and amounts that have a big impact on heart attack risk.
It helps carry cholesterol out of the body, including cholesterol deposited inside blood vessels, where it may block the flow of blood. Those blockages in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart's muscular walls, are the main cause of heart attacks. The American Heart Association says that actual total cholesterol and HDL readings are the best way to identify high-risk people. To find the ratio, divide HDL cholesterol into total cholesterol. Lower ratios are healthier ratios.