Lipid Profile
A Lipid Profile (also called a lipid panel) is a blood test that measures the fats in your blood and helps assess your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Components of a Lipid Profile
| Test | Desirable Level |
|---|---|
| Total Cholesterol (TC) | < 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) |
| LDL Cholesterol (“Bad” Cholesterol) | < 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) |
| HDL Cholesterol (“Good” Cholesterol) | ≥ 40 mg/dL in men, ≥ 50 mg/dL in women |
| Triglycerides (TG) | < 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) |
| Non-HDL Cholesterol | < 130 mg/dL |
| VLDL Cholesterol (often calculated) | 5–40 mg/dL |
Why Is It Done?
- Screen for high cholesterol
- Assess risk of heart attack and stroke
- Monitor treatment with diet, exercise, or cholesterol-lowering medications
- Evaluate metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity
Preparation
- Traditionally, a 9–12 hour fast was recommended, especially for triglyceride measurement.
- Many modern guidelines allow non-fasting lipid profiles for routine screening unless specifically requested by your doctor.
Interpretation
- High LDL and high triglycerides increase cardiovascular risk.
- High HDL is generally protective.
- Overall risk depends on lipid levels along with age, blood pressure, diabetes status, smoking, and family history.
If you have your lipid profile results, send the values (Total Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides), and I can help interpret them.