Cholesterol/Lipid Profile

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in the blood. Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to a protein. This cholesterol-protein package is called a lipoprotein and can be one of two types: high density lipoproteins (HDL or "good" cholesterol) and low density lipoproteins (LDL or "bad" cholesterol).

A Total Cholesterol test is commonly used to assess risk of coronary artery disease. Total cholesterol, however, is only a crude tool to assess cardiac risk. A much better evaluation for coronary risk is the Lipid Profile, which separates cholesterol into the two types, LDLs and HDLs. The comparison of the two types of cholesterol is a reliable tool to assess cardiac risk.

An Advanced Lipid Profile is a more sophisticated test which provides a more direct measurement of the various subtypes of LDLs and HDLs. This additional information can improve the ability to predict the risk of cardiovascular disease from about 40% to more than 90%.