- With Mayo Clinic cardiologist
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.
Dr. Thomas Behrenbeck is a native of Germany, where he received his medical education at the Westfalian Wilhelm University in Munster and became board certified in internal medicine and cardiology.
He also received a Ph.D. in biophysics and physiology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Behrenbeck joined the Mayo Clinic staff in 1990 and is currently an associate professor at Mayo Medical School and an academic faculty member at the Westfalian Wilhelm University. He is chair of the Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery NetWork of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Dr. Behrenbeck is a noninvasive cardiologist, specializing in cardiovascular (CV) imaging modalities (echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and CT), coronary artery disease and prevention of coronary artery disease. His research interests are the application of imaging technology to early recognition and treatment of atherosclerosis. He is passionate about patients' involvement in their health issues.
"The Internet and patient education present ideal synergies in the ever-growing field of knowledge in cardiology," he said.
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Symptoms (1)
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Tests and diagnosis (3)
- Cholesterol test kits: Are they accurate?
- Cholesterol level: Can it be too low?
- Cholesterol ratio: Is it important?
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- see all in Treatments and drugs
Lifestyle and home remedies (4)
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- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (2)
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- Noni juice: Can it reduce cholesterol?
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Question
Cholesterol ratio: Is it important?
How important is cholesterol ratio? Is this something I should know?
Answer
from Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.
Cholesterol ratio has been useful as a predictor of heart disease risk. You can calculate your cholesterol ratio by dividing your high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol into your total cholesterol. For example, if your total cholesterol is 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and your HDL cholesterol is 50 mg/dL, your cholesterol ratio is 4-to-1. The goal is to keep your cholesterol ratio below 5-to-1. A higher ratio indicates a higher risk of heart disease; a lower ratio indicates a lower risk.
However, cholesterol ratio is not useful when it comes to determining appropriate treatment to reduce the risk of heart disease. For treatment purposes, it is more important to know absolute numbers for all your cholesterol levels — including HDL, LDL (or "bad") and total cholesterol — rather than ratios. This is because HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol both affect your heart disease risk, and treatment may be directed at improving both. For example, if you have LDL cholesterol of 100 mg/dL or above, the main goal of treatment is to lower your LDL cholesterol. However, your doctor will also consider your HDL cholesterol when deciding on treatments and goals.
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