Is an LDL of 160 dangerous?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
An LDL of 160 mg/dL is firmly in the high range, and most guidelines call 190 and above very high. What it means for you depends on the company it keeps: blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, family history and age.
For someone with several risk factors, 160 usually earns a statin conversation. For a young person with none, doctors may start with diet, exercise and a recheck.
Either way it is not a number to ignore, because LDL damage adds up silently over decades. Book the conversation.
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