At Life Line Screening, we help you manage your cholesterol levels with the complete lipid panel, a simple finger-stick screening. This comprehensive screening measures 3 different kinds of lipids in the blood: HDL (“good” cholesterol), LDL (“bad” cholesterol), and triglycerides. In addition, the complete lipid panel also measures total cholesterol—the combined amount of these 3 lipids. Lipid levels are important factors in determining your overall heart health. Get more information about
high cholesterol.
What you can learn
Once you have your results, you can compare them to the guidelines created by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), the organization that sets cholesterol classifications. Its goal is to prevent illness and death from coronary heart disease by reducing high cholesterol. If your cholesterol is anything but optimal, you may want to meet with your physician to discuss ways to improve your cholesterol levels.
Here are the NCEP cholesterol classifications:
|
|
|
< 100 mg/dL |
Optimal |
|
100-129 mg/dL |
Near optimal/above optimal |
|
130-129 mg/dL |
Borderline high |
|
160-189 mg/dL |
High |
|
≥ 190 mg/dL |
Very high | |
 |
|
|
|
≤ 40 mg/dL |
Low |
|
≥ 60 mg/dL |
High (desirable) | |
|
|
|
|
< 150 mg/dL |
Normal |
|
150-199 mg/dL |
Borderline high |
|
200-499 mg/dL |
High |
|
≥ 500 mg/dL |
Very high | |
|
|
Total Cholesterol |
Category | |
|
< 200 mg/dL |
Desirable |
|
200-239 mg/dL |
Borderline high |
|
≥ 240 mg/dL |
High | |
|
Who should get screened and how often
According to the NCEP:
- In adults with no symptoms, cholesterol should be screened every 5 years starting at age 20
- Patients with heart disease or abnormal lipid levels should be screened every 1 to 2 years
- Those on medication to lower cholesterol should be screened every 6 weeks until lipid goals are met, and every 4 to 6 months thereafter
In addition, the American Diabetes Association recommends all adults receive a complete lipid panel every year.
How to prepare
You must fast for 8 hours prior to your screening.
