What is a Lipid Panel?
Lipids are small fat like cells that play a major role in the body. Both cholesterol and triglycerides need lipoproteins to get transported in the blood stream. Each of these lipoproteins contain mixes of proteins, cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids. A lipid panel measures these particles according to their densities, hence their names: HDL (high-density lipoproteins), LDL (low-density lipoproteins) and VLDL (very low-density lipoproteins). To stay healthy, these lipoproteins must remain within the recommended ranges. Food and diet play an important factor in changing the levels of these lipoproteins.
Food choices that are high in trans-fat and saturated fats tend to increase your levels of LDL, while green leaves and monounsaturated fats can increase your levels of HDL. Genetic predisposition can play a role in your lipid panel levels. When cholesterol levels increase, they start depositing plaques on your blood vessels walls. These plaques can eventually narrow your vessels and harden your arteries. This is called atherosclerosis and may lead to heart diseases and strokes. High Triglycerides levels can also lead to the development of cardiovascular disease.
The lipid panel includes:
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – LDL is called “bad” cholesterol because it can build up in the walls of arteries, reducing blood flow. A high level of LDL is a risk factor for heart disease.
Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol – VLDL carries triglycerides in the body and is then converted to LDL. Elevated VLDL is a risk factor for heart disease.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol – HDL is called “good” cholesterol because it helps remove excess LDL cholesterol by carrying it to the liver. A high level of HDL lowers risk for heart disease.
Total cholesterol – Total cholesterol is the total of all cholesterol components, including LDL, VLDL, and HDL. A high level of total cholesterol increases risk for heart disease.
Triglycerides – Triglycerides are primarily made up of stored fat from food sources. A high triglyceride level is a risk factor for heart disease.
Why take a Cholesterol test?
Lipids are small fat cells that play a major role in our body and energy making. The lipid panel is an important test used to help assess the risk of developing heart disease (cardiovascular disease) as well as monitor existing conditions by measuring the effectiveness of certain treatments.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) recognize regular lipid screening as an important factor in assessing risk for coronary heart disease.
A lipid profile checks your total cholesterol levels, your good cholesterol levels, your bad cholesterol levels, and triglycerides. Our arteries are at risk of getting clogged when we have high cholesterol levels. A clogged artery can lead to a heart disease or stroke. When you plan a lipid panel test regularly, you are keeping your heart safe and healthy. Both a screening and a monitoring test, the lipid panel can identify a problem before it escalates into a condition, as well as measures the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment.
The only way to monitor how your food is affecting your heart’s health is by undergoing a lipid panel. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) recommend screening for lipid disorders in:
- ALL men beginning at age 35
- Women who are at increased risk for heart disease beginning at age 45
- The USPSTF and AAFP recommend that people with known risk factors for heart disease—such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and people who smoke—consider screening at younger ages (as early as 20 in some cases)
What can cause Lipid panel indicators’ levels to rise?
Many factors can cause high levels of certain indicators in the lipid panel. For example, high triglycerides and high cholesterol levels can be due to many reasons, like:
- Eating the wrong types of food including saturated fatty acids found in animal-based products like cheese, milk, butter and red meat.
- Food high in trans fat such as hydrogenated food like chips and margarines. Some trans fats are found naturally in animal products.
- Medical conditions like diabetes, hypothyroidism, metabolic syndrome, kidney disease or PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).
- Some other causes like living a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, having high levels running in the family and taking certain kinds of medications (diuretics).
What your Cholesterol test results mean?
Your lipid panel test results have a lot to say about your heart. Here is an example of what the numbers may indicate:
- LDL Cholesterol levels: the optimal values need to be less than 100 mg/dL. Anything between 100 and 129 indicate a near above the average. Levels between 130 and 159 are borderline high, while levels between 160 and 189 are high. Finally, anything above 190 mg/dL is considered very high.
- Both LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics now use updated calculations methods for LDL-C results. Quest Diagnostics utilizes the Martin-Hopkins calculation which provides greater customization to a patient’s specific triglyceride level by using a more “personalized” factor to calculate VLDL-C from triglycerides. Starting August 2020 LabCorp will utilize the NIH LDL-C equation for calculating LDL-C. Both methods provide greater accuracy than the previous Friedwald calculation equation.
- Total cholesterol levels: they need to be less than 200 mg/dL. If the levels are between 200 and 239; then, the levels are borderline high. Levels above 240 mg/dL are very high.
- HDL cholesterol: the best levels have to be between 40 and 50 mg/dL.
- Triglycerides: the levels have to be less than 150 mg/dL. Anything above 500 mg/dL is considered as a very high level.
Levels that are outside normal ranges mean that a treatment should be administered, coupled with some lifestyle changes. Very high levels may indicate high risks for developing cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke.
Where can I get a Cholesterol test near me?
Please use our Lab Locator to find find a convenient testing location.
References
- National Cholesterol Education Program. High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need To Know. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/wyntk.pdf. PDF.
- American Heart Association. Atherosclerosis and cholesterol. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol/atherosclerosis#.VxTl7BMrJE4.
- 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk. A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Jul 1;63(25 Pt B):2889-934. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24239921.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Lipid Disorders in Adults (Cholesterol, Dyslipidemia): Screening. Available at: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/UpdateSummaryFinal/lipid-disorders-in-adults-cholesterol-dyslipidemia-screening.
- American Academy of Family Physicians. Summary of Recommendations for Clinical Preventive Services July 2017. Available at: https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/clinical_recommendations/cps-recommendations.pdf. PDF.
Reviewed By: Dr. Kurt Kloss, MD
Last Reviewed Date: Aug 03, 2020
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