LDL Cholesterol (Direct)

Overview:

In most lipid panels LDL cholesterol is not measured at all; it is calculated from total cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides. That calculation works well in ordinary circumstances but becomes unreliable when triglycerides are high, and traditionally required a fasting sample. A direct measurement avoids both problems by measuring LDL cholesterol in the sample itself. It is used when triglycerides are raised, when a non-fasting sample has been taken, and when a calculated result does not fit the clinical picture. The number it produces is not always identical to a calculated one, so consistency matters when tracking over time.

Categories:

Heart

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker