What is a lipid panel?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
A lipid panel measures the fats in your blood, per MedlinePlus: total cholesterol; LDL - the 'bad' one, which deposits cholesterol into artery walls and builds the plaques behind heart attacks and strokes; HDL - the 'good' one, which ferries cholesterol back to the liver; and triglycerides, a separate fat pushed up by alcohol, sugar, and excess calories. Practical notes: fasting 9 to 12 hours (water fine) keeps triglycerides true, though many routine checks allow non-fasting - ask when booking. The numbers feed a risk calculation with age, blood pressure, and smoking that decides lifestyle-alone versus adding a statin - the panel is an input, not a verdict. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can walk your panel line by line.
What to do
- Fast if told to: water is allowed; breakfast is not.
- Read LDL first: that is the number treatment targets.
- One result is a data point: trends and total risk decide.
- Ask what your risk score means: the panel plus context equals the plan.
Related questions
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