Facts About Lipid Profile You Should Know

Lipid Disorder

This medical condition refers to any disturbance or problem with how cholesterol is produced, metabolized, and/or transported in the blood before eliminating out of a body. In most cases, lipid disorder is hereditary. That means if one suffers from a lipid disorder, he or she is more likely to have higher LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol but lower HDL cholesterol levels in their lipid profile. Often, people with lipid disorder also have higher or sometimes elevated triglyceride levels.

Dyslipidaemia

Dyslipidaemia is understood to be a disorder of the fats or lipids in the blood and is always associated with a problem of the metabolism of lipoproteins, including either an overload or a lack of lipoprotein production. Dyslipidaemia is often included in a lipid profile with the characteristics of higher LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, total cholesterol levels but lower levels of HDL cholesterol.

Total Cholesterol

Generally, total cholesterol is a cheap and simple test that measures your total blood cholesterol which also includes your LDL and HDL. It is not necessary to have performed this test at a hospital as you can always perform one yourself using a do-it-yourself kit at home. Unlike other medical diagnosis, you do not need to fast prior to doing your total cholesterol test as it does not show any obvious difference even after taking a meal.

Lipoprotein

Lipoprotein, a molecule that consists of lipid and protein, functions as a transporter for lipid-based molecules such as triglycerides and cholesterol in a water-based environment like in human blood. Based upon the varied density, lipoproteins can be categorized into four types, namely very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), HDL, LDL and chylomicrons.

HDL Cholesterol

High-density lipoprotein, or HDL is commonly regarded as the “good” cholesterol since it passes through the bloodstream and helps remove cholesterol particles from the artery walls to avoid the build-up of plaque. Apart from that, it helps transport LDL cholesterol to the liver to be reprocessed there. In general, a lower HDL cholesterol level marks a higher risk of developing cardiovascular or heart-related diseases.

Lipid Panel or Lipid Profile

A lipid profile is defined as a group of tests that is very helpful for a doctor to identify a patient’s risk of coronary heart disease that is caused by a condition called dyslipidaemia.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis happens when the artery is being narrowed, and simultaneously the flexibility of the arteries is also being reduced. The accumulation of fats and cholesterol within the artery walls can lead to the occurrence of atherosclerosis. As it is linked as a risk factor for heart disease, atherosclerosis can always cause a health concern.