an inherited condition that causes high LDL levels. What’s the purpose of a lipid blood test? High cholesterol rarely causes symptoms. Testing is the best way to identify cholesterol issues that affect your heart and blood vessels. Healthcare providers use lipid blood tests for: Advertisement How often should you get lipoprotein tests? High lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels become more of a problem with age. As the risk rises， skin care and more. Example emailSign up Sign upExample email Experts You Can Trust Medically Reviewed. Last updated on 05/22/2022. Learn more about the Health Library and our editorial process. References Cleveland Clinic’s health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy， blood testing lab or hospital. For the most accurate results， LDLs and triglycerides and total cholesterol. Any cholesterol test is a simple blood draw that takes fewer than five minutes. You may get the test at your healthcare provider’s office。
triglycerides and total cholesterol vary by age and sex. Talk with your healthcare provider about what levels are healthy for you. In general， LP(a) builds up in blood vessels， the “bad cholesterol” that clogs arteries. Your behaviors， reliability and up-to-date clinical standards. American Academy of Family Physicians. High Cholesterol (https://familydoctor.org/condition/cholesterol/) . Accessed 5/22/2022. American Heart Association. HDL (Good)， these numbers are in the healthy range if you have no other risk factors: Total cholesterol : 100-199 mg/dL for adults over 21 years old; 75-169 mg/dL for those aged 20 and younger. HDL (good cholesterol) : 45 mg/dL or higher. LDL (bad cholesterol) : Less than 100 mg/dL. Triglycerides : Less than 150 mg/dL. Advertisement A lipid blood test can’t measure VLDL levels， sleep， labs estimate VLDL levels by dividing your triglyceride numbers by five. A healthy VLDL level would be less than 30 mg/dL. But this equation isn’t always accurate when triglyceride levels are too high. What is the normal range for lipoprotein (a)? Labs report LP(a) levels in mg/dL or nanomoles per liter (nmol/L). A reading above 50 mg/dL or 75 nmol/L is high and increases your risk for atherosclerosis， heart attacks and strokes. What are the risk factors for high LDL (bad cholesterol)? People who have gone through menopause and adults over 40 are most at risk for high LDL levels. But even children can have cholesterol problems. As you get older， we’re here for you. Find a Primary Care Provider ， reliability and up-to-date clinical standards. View Sources Experts You Can Trust Medically Reviewed. Last updated on 05/22/2022. References Cleveland Clinic’s health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy， you need to fast for eight to 12 hours before getting this blood test. You may also need to stop taking certain medicines before the test. You should follow your healthcare provider’s directions. How is lipoprotein (a) tested? It isn’t standard practice to test LP(a) levels. You’ll only have testing for LP(a) levels during a lipid blood test if your healthcare provider specifically requests it. Providers typically order the test only for those who have known heart disease risk factors like: Personal history of heart problems. Family history of heart disease，。
and there isn’t a separate test. Instead。
LDL (Bad) Cholesterol and Triglycerides (https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/hdl-good-ldl-bad-cholesterol-and-triglycerides) . Accessed 5/22/2022. American Heart Association. Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia) (https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/prevention-and-treatment-of-high-cholesterol-hyperlipidemia) . Accessed 5/22/2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Getting Your Cholesterol Checked (https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/cholesterol_screening.htm) . Accessed 5/22/2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. LDL and HDL Cholesterol: “Bad” and “Good” Cholesterol (https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/ldl_hdl.htm) . Accessed 5/22/2022. Heart UK. High Lipoprotein (a) (https://www.heartuk.org.uk/genetic-conditions/high-lipoproteina) . Accessed 5/22/2022. Lab Tests Online. Lipoprotein a (https://labtestsonline.org/tests/lipoprotein-a) . Accessed 5/22/2022. National Heart， including diet。
LDLs， fitness， your healthcare provider may order more frequent tests. Recommendations for lipid blood tests include: Screening for men over 35 and women over 45 years of age. Screening for men aged 20 to 35 and women aged 20 to 45 if they have increased risk for atherosclerosis. Screening in children once between ages 9 and 11 and then again between 17 and 21. What is the normal range for lipoproteins? Labs measure cholesterol and lipoproteins in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Individual laboratories can use different techniques. That means results from the same blood sample can vary from lab to lab. When possible， your metabolism slows and your liver doesn’t remove bad cholesterol from your body as well. Race and ethnicity also play a role. Asian Americans are more prone to high LDL levels， Lung and Blood Institute. Blood Cholesterol (https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-cholesterol) . Accessed 5/22/2022. National Library of Medicine. LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol (https://medlineplus.gov/ldlthebadcholesterol.html) . Accessed 5/22/2022. National Library of Medicine. Lipoprotein (a) Blood Test (https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/lipoprotein-a-blood-test/) . Accessed 5/22/2022. National Library of Medicine. VLDL Cholesterol (https://medlineplus.gov/vldlcholesterol.html) . Accessed 5/22/2022. Care at Cleveland Clinic Cleveland Clinic’s primary care providers offer lifelong medical care. From sinus infections and high blood pressure to preventive screening， stroke and other issues due to high LDL levels often need cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins。
affect lipoprotein levels. Some people inherit a gene change that causes high levels of lipoprotein (a) or LP(a). This “sticky” lipoprotein builds up in arteries， increasing your risk of heart disease. Lifestyle changes and medications like statins can lower LDL and LP(a) levels while boosting HDL. Better health starts here Sign up for our Health Essentials emails for expert guidance on nutrition， your genes determine your LP(a) levels. Some people inherit gene changes (mutations) that make them more prone to high LP(a) levels. These people have a higher risk of heart disease at a young age. What is a lipid panel blood test? Healthcare providers order lipid blood tests to measure total cholesterol in your blood. The tests provide individual results for HDLs， while white people are more likely to have high total cholesterol. Additional risk factors for high LDL levels include: Advertisement How is high LDL treated? People at high risk for heart attacks， ezetimibe， and PCSK9 inhibitors. You can also make dietary and lifestyle changes to improve your numbers. What steps can you take to improve lipoprotein numbers? Dietary and lifestyle changes can lower bad cholesterol (LDLs) and boost good cholesterol (HDLs). These steps can help: A note from Cleveland Clinic There are different types of lipoproteins. HDL is a “good cholesterol” that helps your body get rid of LDL。
increasing the risk of cardiovascular problems. High levels of LP(a) are a risk factor for atherosclerosis. While diet and certain lifestyle choices can affect HDL and LDL levels， your provider will want to use the same lab to monitor your levels. Healthy ranges for HDLs， What are lipoproteins? Lipoproteins are round particles made of fat (lipids) and proteins that travel in your bloodstream to cells throughout your body. Cholesterol and triglycerides are two types of lipids found in lipoproteins. Advertisement Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy Your body makes different types of lipoproteins. High levels of certain lipoproteins can be harmful to your heart. But some lipoproteins have heart-protective benefits. Image content: This image is available to view online. View image online (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/-/scassets/images/org/health/articles/23229-lipoprotein-illustration.jpg) What are cholesterol and triglycerides? Cholesterol and triglycerides are waxy fats that circulate in your blood. Your body produces and uses these fats differently: What are the types of lipoproteins? There are five main types of lipoproteins: Advertisement What is lipoprotein (a) or LP(a)? Lipoprotein (a) or LP(a) is a type of LDL (“bad cholesterol”). A second protein called apolipoprotein or apo(a) loops around it in segments called kringles. Apolipoprotein makes the LDL particles stickier. As a result， smoking and exercise， especially heart events at a younger age in more than one first-degree relative. Unusually high LDL levels. Risk factors for familial hypercholesterolemia。