HDL Cholesterol Direct Serum Test

HDL test is often a part of lipid profile done to monitor the risk of heart diseases, stroke or any other medical condition that involves the blood vessels[arteries] like peripheral arterial diseases. In known cases of heart diseases the test is done to monitor the effectiveness of treatment and medications. How often the test should be done will depend on age, sex and risk of heart diseases.

An HDL-C test is used to analyze a blood sample to measure the level of cholesterol in the HDL particles. Cholesterol is a waxy substance. It helps in basic cell functions such as the formation of certain hormones and cell membranes. It is transported through the body with blood along with several lipoproteins. They are made of fats and proteins. There are multiple types of such lipoproteins.

HDL-C in particular can help protect against hardening and blockage of the arteries. Doctors can analyze the risk of heart disease by measuring the levels of HDL and LDL in the blood. The age, sex and risk of heart disease can impact how often one should get the test done.

The HDL test measures the level of HDL cholesterol which is a form of good cholesterol in the blood.

An HDL-C test is used to measure the levels of HDL cholesterol in the blood. It is considered to be a good type of cholesterol. It is believed to help in the early detection of cardiovascular diseases.

During Hdl test blood sample is taken from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a  little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

The ideal levels for HDL differ as per the age and gender specific guidelines. Good or high levels of HDL signify that the heart is functioning well and low cardiovascular risk. High HDL may also occur due to thyroid disorders, certain medications and inherited conditions. In these cases, high HDL levels may not be beneficial. 
Low HDL levels in conjunction with other blood markers indicate higher risk for cardiac diseases and stroke. Low HDL levels may also occur due to certain underlying conditions like diabetes and prediabetes. HDL levels should also be correlated with other parameters like LDL, triglyceride levels and the blood pressure to predict the cardiac health.

HDL-C generally measures and reports the levels of HDL in milligrams for every deciliter of blood. Your test report will show the present HDL-C levels. It will also show the reference range for a normal level of HDL-C.

Factors such as age, sex, health history, risk of cardiovascular disease, total cholesterol and other lipid levels of a patient can affect the interpretation of the results.

High HDL levels may result due to thyroid disorders, consumption of certain medicines and inherited conditions.

Similarly, low LDL levels might occur due to underlying health issues like diabetes.

HDL-C levels below 40mg/dl are considered to be low. They may indicate a risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease. HDL-C is an important measurement. But it is mostly evaluated in conjunction with other parameters.

A. There are several factors such as the age of the patient, their sex, health history of cardiovascular diseases, current health condition, total cholesterol levels and miscellaneous lipid levels. These can impact the results of the test.

Screening is the process of looking for existing health problems before any major symptoms begin to manifest. Cardiovascular screening is done with the purpose of addressing the problems by discovering them at an early stage.

HDL-C testing is majorly used for the purpose of screening. Cholesterol levels can be assessed for children, as well as for adults. These can also be assessed in those who do not display any major symptoms of cardiovascular problems. Based on the results of HDL-C testing, doctors can determine the extent of risk that a patient faces.

For every patient, the circumstances may be different. This makes it essential to undergo HDL-C testing. As far as screening is concerned, there are not many universal recommendations about how often one must get the test done. Screening may begin early if a patient faces certain risk factors. These factors could be higher blood pressure, smoking habits, a history of diabetes, and a family history of heart disease from an early age. The presence of one or more such risk factors may warrant a need for regular cholesterol testing.

Those who do not face an elevated risk of facing cardiovascular problems may begin the process of screening at a later stage. Usually, the frequency of testing is longer for them. It is ideal to consult with a doctor about the best screening plan. This depends on your health condition.  

• High-Density Lipoprotein Test
• High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Test
• HDL-C Test
• Good Cholesterol Test
• Lipid Profile
• Lipid Panel