The lipid profile test is a combination of test conducted together to know the amount of cholesterol and its subtypes in the body. Let’s first understand, what is Lipid.

Lipids are fat like substance that circulate in the blood and body tissues. Our body needs small amounts of lipids to function normally. A lipid profile is a blood test which the measure the amount of different types of lipid in the body.

The lipid profile test helps in determining the risk of building up of fatty deposits or cholesterol in your arteries (The arteries are the blood vessels that deliver oxygen –rich blood from heart to the tissues of the body). which can lead to narrow or blocked arteries in the body. High cholesterol levels often causes significant risk for Heart Diseases.

A typical lipid profile test includes the following tests:

1. Total cholesterol
2. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) -“Bad cholesterol”
3. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) - “Good cholesterol”
4. Triglycerides- the most common type of fat in the body.