Lipid Profile

This assessment is useful in the detection, classification and also monitoring of patients who have hyperlipidemia.

A lipid profile is also known as lipid panel or coronary risk panel or cholesterol panel or lipid test. It measures the levels of lipids such as low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), cholesterol, triglycerides, total cholesterol, non high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and cholesterol/HDL ratio in the blood. It helps to screen and monitor the risk factors of heart (cardiovascular) diseases.

The lipid profile test is done:

• To screen for any kind of heart conditions or diseases
• To evaluate levels of different types of cholesterol in the blood in persons having risk factors of heart diseases such as having a family history of high cholesterol or heart attack, overweight, diabetes,smoking, and old age
• To assess the risk of developing heart conditions or diseases
• To monitor the treatment of ongoing heart conditions or diseases