Lipid Profile
Note: this site is for informational purposes only. To view test results or book a test, use the NHS app in England or contact your GP.
A lipid profile test measures the levels of specific lipids in the blood—such as cholesterol and triglycerides—using a blood sample taken from a vein in the arm, sometimes after fasting. It is used to assess cardiovascular health and evaluate the risk of conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
Why get tested?
To assess your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke and related diseases); to monitor treatment
When to get tested?
Between ages 40 and 75 years as part of a routine cardiovascular health check, or if you are already thought to be at risk of cardiovascular disease for another reason, or if you are starting on or taking lipid-modifying treatments (e.g. statins).
Sample required?
Testing for your lipid profile reequires a blood sample. Most often, the blood sample is collected by venepuncture (using a needle to collect blood from a vein in the arm). Occasionally a fingerprick test can be used, although this is not commonly available in GP practices or hospitals in the UK.
Test preparation needed?
Before 2014, fasting samples were used for a lipid profile, but since then fasting is no longer routinely required. However, fasting may still be needed in some circumstances, so you should follow your doctor’s advice.
What is being tested?
Lipids are fats that are important constituents of cells and sources of energy. They are necessary for life, but abnormal levels may cause ‑cardiovascular disease. A lipid profile measures the level of specific lipids in the blood.
Two types of lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides, are transported in the blood by particles called “lipoproteins”. Each particle contains a combination of protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, and phospholipid molecules. Lipoprotein particles are classified according to their density into high-density lipoproteins (HDL), intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). Not all of these are measured as part of a routine lipid profile.
A lipid profile typically includes:
- Total cholesterol, which is all of the cholesterol in all the lipoprotein particles.
- High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‑C) which is the cholesterol in HDL particles; often called “good cholesterol” because it represents cholesterol carried to the liver for removal.
- Non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL‑C) is calculated simply as “total cholesterol minus HDL‑C”. This is what is often referred to as “bad cholesterol”, as it represents cholesterol which may be deposited to form “plaques”, which can eventually lead to blockages.
- Triglycerides — measures all the triglycerides in all the lipoprotein particles; most is in the very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL).
Some other information may be reported as part of the lipid profile. These parameters are calculated from the results of the tests identified above.
- Cholesterol: HDL ratio is the calculated ratio of total cholesterol to HDL‑C.
- Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‑C) is a calculated estimate of the cholesterol that is deposited in blood vessel walls.
Common questions
1) As part of a cardiovascular risk assessment
Cardiovascular disease means disease of the heart, such as a heart attack, or of the arteries. These conditions are partly due to laying down of excess cholesterol in the artery walls (known as atherosclerosis, or “furring up of the arteries”). The balance of different cholesterol fractions measured as part of the lipid profile (e.g. “bad” non-HDL‑C vs “good” HDL‑C) can influence how fast and extensive this process is. Therefore, the commonest reason to measure a person’s lipid profile is to help estimate their risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the future. This then helps with decisions about lifestyle changes and medical treatments to reduce future risk. In the UK, most doctors use a “risk calculator” (QRISK2 or QRISK3) which uses the cholesterol: HDL ratio along with other known risk factors (such as age, gender, smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and certain chronic illnesses) for this purpose.
2) In cases of pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a serious medical condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. It has many causes, one of which is high levels of triglycerides in the blood. Therefore, if you ever develop pancreatitis, your lipid profile would usually be checked to look for elevated triglycerides. If found, these can be reduced effectively by lifestyle changes and medical treatments.
3) To monitor response to treatment
If you are prescribed lipid-modifying treatments, for example to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease or pancreatitis, your lipid profile may be checked periodically to determine if the treatment is working adequately.
- In the UK, your lipid profile is commonly tested by your GP when you reach the age of 40, as part of a routine cardiovascular health check.
- It may be checked at other times if you are thought to be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease for another reason.
- It will be checked if you develop another medical condition which can be due to abnormal lipids, such as pancreatitis.
- If you have a close relative with inherited high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolaemia).
- Finally, it will likely be checked at regular intervals if you have been prescribed lipid-modifying treatments, such as statins.
Please see the separate pages on each component of the lipid profile for discussions about each component of the lipid profile – cholesterol, non-HDL, HDL, triglycerides, LDL
Ideal levels for adults are as follows:
Total cholesterol: below 5.0 mmol/L
Non-HDL cholesterol: below 4.0 mmol/L
LDL cholesterol: below 3.0 mmol/L
HDL cholesterol: above 1.0 mmol/L for a man, above 1.2 mmol/L for a woman
TC: HDL ratio above 6 is considered high risk – the lower this ratio is the better
Triglycerides: below 1.7 mmol/L after fasting or below 2.3 mmol/L without fasting
A lipid profile should ideally be measured when a person is healthy. In particular, cholesterol can be temporarily low during acute illness, immediately following a heart attack, or during stress (like from surgery or an accident). To get a true representation of your cholesterol, you should wait at least six weeks after any illness before having it measured. In women, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations are high during pregnancy. Women should wait at least three months after the baby is born to have a lipid profile measured. Some drugs are known to affect the lipid profile, including oral corticosteroids, beta blockers, oral contraceptives, thiazide diuretics, oral retinoids and phenytoin.
For many years LDL‑C was used as the main measure of “bad” cholesterol. However it is now recognised that cholesterol carried on other lipoproteins is also harmful. For this reason, the recommendations changed in 2014 so that non-HDL‑C may be reported instead of LDL‑C.