Cholesterol Test: Total and HDL Levels
If it is not possible to get a lipoprotein profile done, knowing your total
cholesterol and
HDL cholesterol can give you a general idea about your
cholesterol levels. This cholesterol test does not require fasting. If your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or more (or if your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL), you will need to have a lipoprotein profile.
A number of
home cholesterol tests have been approved for use. These cholesterol tests are about as accurate as the tests done by your doctor; however, most home cholesterol tests only measure total cholesterol. Total
cholesterol levels can be misleading, because a person can have a healthy total cholesterol level and still have a low HDL level or a high
LDL level. Therefore, most
cholesterol treatment decisions are based on HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, not total cholesterol. So consider the total cholesterol level from a home cholesterol test to be an overview number.
Specific Cholesterol Tests
There are several other cholesterol tests on the market that will look at HDL or LDL in even more detail, such as the HDL2 or HDL3 levels. At this point, most healthcare providers do not recommend this type of cholesterol test.
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