Lipid profile (cholesterol) blood test

What does the Lipid Profile measure?

A lipid profile measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL and triglycerides, and often ratios and advanced markers such as non-HDL cholesterol, ApoB and Lipoprotein(a).

Why is the Lipid Profile ordered?

It is ordered to understand long-term heart and blood-vessel risk, which is especially relevant for South Asians who tend to develop cardiovascular disease earlier.

Tests in this panel

Each test links to its own page with named reference-range sources.

Sources: [NCEP ATP III] [AHA/ACC] [American Heart Association] [European Atherosclerosis Society] [INTERHEART Study]

• LDL CholesterolLDL Cholesterol is the cholesterol carried by low-density particles. It is often called the harmful type because it can collect in the walls of your arteries.
• HDL CholesterolThis measures cholesterol packed into high-density lipoprotein particles (dense fat-and-protein bundles). These particles collect excess cholesterol and ferry it back to the liver for disposal.
• TriglyceridesThese fat molecules pack surplus calories into a dense, storable form. After a meal your body loads them into fat tissue, then releases and burns them when fuel runs low.
• Total CholesterolThis sums the cholesterol carried inside every lipoprotein particle (fat-and-protein bundles) travelling in your sample. It rolls the harmful and protective carriers into a single figure.
• Non-HDL CholesterolNon-HDL Cholesterol is all the cholesterol in the harmful particle types combined. It is worked out by taking your total cholesterol and removing the helpful HDL.
• VLDL CholesterolVLDL Cholesterol is the cholesterol carried by very low-density particles. These particles mainly move triglycerides, a type of blood fat, around your body.
• TC/HDL RatioTC/HDL Ratio is your total cholesterol divided by your helpful HDL cholesterol. It gives one number that reflects the balance between the two.
• Lipoprotein(a)Lipoprotein(a) is a particle much like LDL but with an extra protein attached. The level you have is set mostly by your genes.
• Apolipoprotein BApolipoprotein B is a protein sitting on every harmful cholesterol particle, one per particle. Measuring it gives a direct count of those particles.
• Apolipoprotein A1This protein forms the structural backbone of every HDL particle and switches on the enzymes that load cholesterol onto it. Its level mirrors how many functional HDL particles you carry.
• ApoB/ApoA1 RatioApoB/ApoA1 Ratio compares your harmful particle count with your protective particle count. It gives one number for your lipid (blood fats) balance.

Frequently asked questions

What is included in the Lipid Profile?

A lipid profile measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL and triglycerides, and often ratios and advanced markers such as non-HDL cholesterol, ApoB and Lipoprotein(a). It typically reports 11 results: LDL Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Total Cholesterol, Non-HDL Cholesterol, VLDL Cholesterol, TC/HDL Ratio, Lipoprotein(a), and more.

Why is the Lipid Profile ordered?

It is ordered to understand long-term heart and blood-vessel risk, which is especially relevant for South Asians who tend to develop cardiovascular disease earlier.

How should the Lipid Profile be read as a whole?

No single value tells the full story — the results are read together, and each value is compared against the reference range printed on your own report, which can vary by lab, method and equipment.

Do the reference ranges in the Lipid Profile vary between labs?

Yes. Ranges depend on the laboratory's equipment and method, so the range printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result. Each test page names the standards body behind its range.