High Cholesterol: Diagnosis

High blood cholesterol is diagnosed by a blood test called a lipoprotein profile. This requires fasting, so you cannot eat or drink anything for 9 to 12 hours before taking the test.

The lipoprotein profile provides information about:

• Total cholesterol

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level or bad cholesterol

• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) level or good cholesterol

• Triglycerides

If it is not possible to get a lipoprotein profile done, knowing your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol can give you a general idea about your cholesterol levels.