Your cholesterol test, also called lipid panel, measures all the types of cholesterol in your blood stream.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are fats which are made from the excess calories you have eaten which haven’t been used by your body. If you consistently eat more calories than you burn off, your triglycerides levels are likely to be high.

HDL

HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) or “good” cholesterol helps remove excess cholesterol from your blood. Low levels of HDL therefore put you at higher risk of heart disease.

LDL

LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol builds up in your artery walls. When the LDL hardens, your arteries become narrow and your risk of heart disease can increase.

Cholesterol ratio

This ratio is more indicative of your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart disease risk than cholesterol alone. The higher the ratio, the higher your risk of heart disease.