HDL levels by sex: which is correct?

• A. Greater than 40 mg/dL in men, greater than 50 mg/dL in women
• B. Greater than 60 mg/dL in men
• C. Greater than 50 mg/dL in men, greater than 40 mg/dL in women
• D. Greater than 30 mg/dL in both

Answer: (A)

HDL cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol, and cardiovascular risk assessment uses sex-specific targets because HDL levels tend to be higher in women than in men. The best target is keeping HDL above 40 mg/dL in men and above 50 mg/dL in women, which aligns with protective effects and typical population patterns.

This threshold explains why it’s the correct choice: it reflects the natural sex difference and the goal of achieving a level that’s generally associated with lower risk. The other options either set an unusually high threshold for men, swap the sex-specific values, or use a universal threshold that’s too low to be considered protective.