MyHealthPEI Education Resource – Lipid Profile

Why was a Lipid profile ordered?

A lipid profile is a blood test that checks the amount of fat in your blood. These fats are called lipids. You might not feel any different if your lipid levels are high, so this test helps to identify potential problems early - especially ones that could affect your heart.

Sometimes, a result might be a little outside the normal range, but that doesn’t always mean something is wrong. If you’re worried, please follow your usual steps for asking health care questions, as recommended by your health care providers.

When is a Lipid profile used?

Health care providers use this test to:

• Check for heart disease or problems with blood vessels.
• See if you have high fat levels in your blood.
• Monitor how well medicine is working to lower fat levels.
• This test may also be done if you have a family history of heart disease

What is most important in a Lipid profile?

• Total Cholesterol: The total amount of cholesterol in your blood.
• Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol: Called “bad cholesterol” because it can clog your blood vessels.
• High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol: Called “good cholesterol” because it helps remove bad cholesterol.
• Triglycerides: A type of fat that can raise your risk of heart disease if too high.

What could a Lipid profile find?

• High LDL (bad cholesterol): Can lead to blocked blood vessels, which may cause heart attacks, strokes, or artery disease.
• Low Cholesterol: Might mean your body isn’t absorbing nutrients well, or you’re taking too much cholesterol-lowering medicine. It can also point to rare genetic disorders and can be seen with certain chronic diseases.

This page is just for information. Always talk to your health care provider if you have questions.