Serum cholesterol level

Serum cholesterol level refers to the **total amount of all types of cholesterols present in the blood**, typically measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). It includes low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) fractions, as well as very-low-density lipoprotein and other lipid components. Serum total cholesterol is an important **clinical biomarker** used to assess risk for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol levels are commonly evaluated through blood tests called lipid panels or profiles. Optimal adult values for total serum cholesterol are generally considered less than 200 mg/dL; higher values indicate increased risk for heart disease. LDL (“bad”) should be below 100 mg/dL in healthy adults, with even lower targets (<70 mg/dL) recommended for those at high or very high risk of cardiovascular events or with established ASCVD[4][5][7]. HDL (“good”) should be above 40–60 mg/dL depending on sex. While many drugs—such as statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors—are prescribed to lower serum LDL-cholesterol levels and reduce overall serum total cholesterol when indicated by elevated measurements or increased cardiovascular risk factors[1][3], **serum cholesterol level itself is not a molecular entity nor a direct therapeutic target** like an enzyme or receptor would be. Therefore, “serum cholesterol level” does not refer to any specific molecule or protein but rather represents an aggregate measurement used clinically for diagnosis and management decisions regarding lipid disorders and associated diseases. **Note:** “Serum Cholesterol Level” is *not* considered a canonical drug target such as an enzyme, receptor, transporter etc., but rather serves exclusively as a clinical measurement/biomarker. If you require information about specific molecular targets involved in regulating serum/plasma/blood/lipoprotein-associated cholesterols—such as HMG-CoA reductase (*targeted by statins*) or PCSK9 (*targeted by monoclonal antibodies*)—please specify those molecules individually.

Other names

Blood cholesterolTotal cholesterolCholesterol levelLipid panel (when referring to the test measuring it)