Blood Cholesterol Test

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance made by the liver. There are two main types of cholesterol:

A cholesterol test is a blood test that measures the amount of each type of cholesterol and certain fats in the blood.

When is the cholesterol blood test prescribed?

A doctor may prescribe a cholesterol test

To patients with high blood pressure
To patients with Type 2 diabetes
To obese and patients with cardiovascular diseases
To patients with symptoms of heart disease or diabetes due to intake of high saturated fat diet, lack of physical activity or excessive smoking

LDL levels. Also known as bad cholesterol which causes blockages in the arteries.
HDL levels. Also known as good cholesterol which helps to get rid of bad LDL cholesterol.
Total cholesterol. It is the total amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the blood.
Triglycerides High levels of triglycerides may increase the risk of heart disease.
VLDL levels. Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) is another type of "bad" cholesterol that is linked with plaque in the arteries.

Do not eat or drink anything other than water for 8-12 hours before the test. A blood sample is taken from the vein.

Normal range	Less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
Border line High	Between 200 and 239 mg/dL
High	240 mg/dL above