Cholesterol is a lipid (fat) which is both synthesized by the liver and absorbed from the diet. It is commonly used to assess risk of coronary artery disease.

Total cholesterol, however, is only a crude tool to assess cardiac risk. A much better evaluation for coronary risk is the Lipid Profile. The lipid profile separates cholesterol into two types: low-density lipoproteins (LDL’s) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL’s). The comparison of the two types of cholesterol (LDL’s and HDL’s) is a reliable tool to assess cardiac risk.

An Advanced Lipid Profile is a more sophisticated test which provides a more direct measurement of the various subtypes of LDL’s and HDL’s. This additional information can improve the ability to predict the risk of cardiovascular disease from about 40% to more than 90%.

As with all laboratory testing, these results should be reviewed with your physician.