Non-HDL cholesterol, also called remnant cholesterol, is calculated by taking a total cholesterol measurement and subtracting the HDL cholesterol measurement, according to Johns Hopkins. This measurement thus assesses all cholesterol that is not 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.
