Definition of Lipids
What types of cholesterol are measured?
A complete cholesterol test, referred to as a lipid panel or lipid profile, includes the measurement of four types of fats (lipids) in your blood:
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Goal is less than 100 or if you have diabetes and heart disease less than 70. This is sometimes called the "bad" cholesterol. Too much of it in your blood causes the accumulation of fatty deposits (plaques) in your arteries (atherosclerosis), which reduces blood flow. These plaques sometimes rupture and lead to major heart and vascular problems. In addition, in people with diabetes and in people who are at high risk of heart disease, LDL cholesterol particles tend to be smaller and denser. These smaller, denser particles can cause greater damage to blood vessels than can the cholesterol particles found in people at lower risk of heart disease and in those without diabetes.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Goal is greater than 40 in men and greater than 50 in women. This is sometimes called the "good" cholesterol because it helps carry away LDL cholesterol, thus keeping arteries open and your blood flowing more freely.
Triglycerides. Goal is less than 150. Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood. When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn't need to use right away into triglycerides, which are stored in fat cells and released later for energy. High triglyceride levels usually mean you regularly eat more calories than you burn. High levels are also seen in overweight people, in those consuming too many sweets or too much alcohol, and in people with diabetes who have elevated blood sugar levels.
Total cholesterol. Goal is less than 200 if NO cardiovascular risk factors* or 150 if you have risk factors. This is a sum of your blood's cholesterol content.
Together, the four numbers can provide clues about your risk of heart attack, stroke or other blood vessel damage (vascular disease). Results of a lipid panel cholesterol test are listed as a set of numbers in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
It's possible to measure only total cholesterol. However, this single test isn't used as much anymore, because knowing only your total cholesterol level doesn't provide your doctor with as much useful information as the more complete lipid panel.
In 2001, a group of national experts known as the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel recommended that the ideal cholesterol test measure the four types of fats (lipids) in your blood that are included in a lipid panel or lipid profile.