With CARE Complete, your approximate HDL level is just seconds away.

Use our HDL Calculator to find your HDL:

HDL Calculator
	Enter your total cholesterol value here:
	Enter your LDL cholesterol value here:
	Enter your triglyceride value here:
	Your approximate HDL value is:

The HDL calculator above uses the inverse of the Friedewald equation to find an approximate value for your HDL cholesterol. Typically the Friedewald equation is used to calculate LDL cholesterol assuming you already know your total cholesterol, HDL and triglyceride levels. This equation is the most common method for indirectly measuring a cholesterol component when the other major levels are already known.

The equation has been validated several times since its inception in 1972 and is used repeatedly as a substitute for qualitative values in most cholesterol research. There are, however, certain conditions under which the results from the Friedewald equation are unreliable.

One instance in which the results are unreliable occurs when the triglyceride level used in the equation is over 400 mg/dL. This is not of great concern as 95% of the population in the U.S. has a fasting triglyceride level (in plasma) below 300 mg/dL.

The Friedewald equation is also unreliable when there is a high concentration of chylomicrons in your blood. Chylomicrons appear in your blood primarily after meals. For this reason, we suggest testing yourself before you have eaten in the morning. This will alleviate any interference from overly high chylomicron levels in your drop of blood

The final condition under which the Friedewald equation cannot be used is if you are suffering from type III hyperlipoproteinemia. Type III hyperlipoproteinemia adds an extra component called ß -VLDL (ß very low density lipoprotein) not typically present in blood. This extra component will give the equation a drastically lower result than what your actual level may be.