What Is Non-HDL Cholesterol?

Calculating non-HDL cholesterol measures heart disease risk in people with normal levels of LDL cholesterol, the first measure used to assess risk. Optimal non-HDL cholesterol levels are 30 milligrams per deciliter above optimal LDL cholesterol levels, which are 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter for people with or at risk for heart disease and 100 to 129 milligrams per deciliter for people not at risk for heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.