Understanding Your Lab Results
A guide for patients of The Sandusky Dyslipidemia Model clinic
Table of Contents
Why We Check Your Blood
Blood tests help your care team understand how much cholesterol and other fats are in your blood. They also help us track whether your treatment is working and whether your medications are safe.
You will have blood drawn before most visits so your results are ready when you come in.
Your Lipid Panel
A lipid panel is the basic cholesterol blood test. Here is what each number means:
LDL Cholesterol — “Bad Cholesterol”
| What It Is | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| The cholesterol that builds up inside your arteries | This is the most important number we work to lower |
General targets (your provider will tell you your specific goal):
| Risk Level | LDL Goal |
|---|---|
| Lower risk | Below 130 mg/dL |
| Medium risk | Below 100 mg/dL |
| High risk | Below 70 mg/dL |
| Very high risk (prior heart attack, stroke, etc.) | Below 55 mg/dL |
HDL Cholesterol — “Good Cholesterol”
| What It Is | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Cholesterol that helps clean your arteries | Higher is generally better, but there is no medicine that raises HDL and prevents heart disease |
- Healthy range: above 40 mg/dL for men, above 50 mg/dL for women
- Exercise, healthy eating, and not smoking help keep HDL at good levels
Triglycerides
| What It Is | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Another type of fat in your blood | Very high levels can inflame your pancreas; moderate levels add to heart risk |
| Level | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Below 150 mg/dL | Normal |
| 150–499 mg/dL | Elevated — may need treatment |
| 500 mg/dL or higher | Very high — needs treatment to prevent pancreas inflammation |
Total Cholesterol
This is the total of all cholesterol types combined. It gives a general picture but your LDL number is more useful for treatment decisions.
Non-HDL Cholesterol
This is your total cholesterol minus your HDL. It captures all the “bad” types of cholesterol in one number. Your provider may use this as a secondary target.
Advanced Tests Your Provider May Order
At this clinic, we sometimes order additional tests that go beyond the standard lipid panel. These tests give us a more detailed picture of your risk.
Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)
| What It Is | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| A protein found on every “bad” cholesterol particle in your blood | It tells us the number of harmful particles, not just how much cholesterol they carry |
Think of it this way: LDL cholesterol tells us how much cargo (cholesterol) is being delivered to your arteries. ApoB tells us how many delivery trucks (particles) there are. More trucks means more chances for cholesterol to get stuck in your artery walls — even if each truck carries less cargo.
Your provider may use your ApoB level to decide whether to make your treatment more aggressive, even if your LDL cholesterol looks like it is at goal.
Lipoprotein(a) — Lp(a)
| What It Is | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| A special type of cholesterol particle that is mostly determined by your genes | High levels increase your risk of heart disease, and this risk is inherited |
- This test is done only once because your Lp(a) level is set by your genes and does not change much over your lifetime
- A level of 125 nmol/L or higher means increased risk
- If your level is high, your family members should also be tested
- There are currently no specific medications to lower Lp(a), but your care team will lower your other risk factors more aggressively to compensate
- New medications targeting Lp(a) are being studied and may become available in the future
NMR LipoProfile (Advanced Lipid Test)
| What It Is | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| A detailed test that measures the size and number of your cholesterol particles | Helps identify a risky pattern of small, dense particles that standard tests can miss |
This test is not needed for everyone. Your provider will order it if they suspect your standard cholesterol numbers may not be telling the full story — for example, if you have diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or moderately high triglycerides.
Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score
This is not a blood test — it is a quick, painless CT scan of your heart that takes about 5 minutes. It measures the amount of calcium (a marker of plaque) in the arteries of your heart.
| Score | What It Means |
|---|---|
| 0 | No calcium detected — very reassuring |
| 1–99 | Some buildup — medication is usually recommended |
| 100–299 | Moderate buildup — stronger treatment recommended |
| 300 or higher | Significant buildup — aggressive treatment recommended |
Your provider may order this test to help decide whether starting a cholesterol medication is the right choice for you.
Other Blood Tests
Your provider may also check:
| Test | What It Tells Us |
|---|---|
| Thyroid (TSH) | An underactive thyroid can cause high cholesterol |
| Blood sugar (HbA1c or glucose) | Checks for diabetes, which affects your heart risk |
| Kidney function (eGFR, creatinine) | Important for medication dosing and risk calculation |
| Liver tests (ALT, AST) | Baseline safety check before starting certain medications |
Tips for Getting Your Labs Done
- Follow fasting instructions — if your provider asks you to fast, do not eat or drink anything except water for 9–12 hours before your blood draw
- Get labs done on time — we order your labs to be done before your next visit so results are ready
- Bring your lab results — if you had labs done elsewhere, bring a copy to your visit
Questions About Your Results?
Your care team will go over your results at each visit. If you have questions between visits, do not hesitate to call the clinic.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not replace advice from your healthcare provider.