Investigation of lipids. What do the results really mean?

BACKGROUND

The National Heart foundation recommends that all adult Australians should have their plasma lipids measured to help assess their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Patients usually concentrate on their total cholesterol result, but this is less informative than the levels of individual lipoproteins, particularly low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL).

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the considerations behind laboratory lipid measurements and their interpretation.

DISCUSSION

Adult patients are best assessed with total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-C allowing calculation of LDL-C. Treatment decisions should be based on LDL-C levels in the context of the overall risk factor status of the patient for CVD. Additional laboratory tests are available, some of which may assist with diagnosis or clinical decision making.