LDL works like trucks unloading cholesterol right into artery walls. HDL steps in as the cleanup team, hauling it back out. When LDL climbs past 100 mg/dL and HDL drops below 40 mg/dL for men or 50 for women, plaque wins out.
Triglycerides topping 150 mg/dL alongside low HDL stir up real danger. They tie into insulin glitches and shaky plaques that burst easier, hitting thin bodies too. The Triglyceride and HDL-C Dyslipidemia group clocked a 1.32-fold jump in heart risks from this mix.
Aim to keep total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL for the safest bet. Small diet tweaks like cutting sugars help balance these, but genes can override.