Download Lipid Panel, Basic

Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
Technical Brief
Lipid Panel, Basic
Background Information
A lipid panel is a group of blood tests that are typically
ordered together to determine the risk of developing coronary
artery disease (CAD). The tests measure various lipids,
including cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Found in the
blood and stored in the body’s tissues, lipids are an important
part of cell structure and other biological functions. However,
lipid disorders such as high cholesterol are risk factors for
developing coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke or
other life-threatening illnesses.
Reducing risk factors is key to the prevention of cardiovascular
events, the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. These
risk factors include age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes,
elevated LDL and low HDL cholesterol.
The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult
Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) classified lipid results (see
chart, below) and established guidelines for lipid testing and
patient management.
Clinical Indications
Healthy adults with no other heart disease risk factors are
recommended to be tested with a fasting lipid profile once
every five years, or as a part of a regular health examination.
In some cases, lipid testing is ordered for children and
adolescents if they are at an increased risk of developing
heart disease. A lipid profile may be ordered at regular
intervals to evaluate the success of lipid-lowering strategies,
such as diet, exercise and drug therapy.
Interpretation
The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) has set general and therapeutic goals, which may vary depending on
a patient’s other risk factors. Thorough assessment of a patient’s results should be conducted by a patient’s physician.
Together with other known risk factors of heart disease, the lipid profile is considered in developing a treatment plan.
Treatment options may involve modifications to diet, exercise or use of lipid-lowering medications.
Adult Values
Desirable
Borderline
Higher Risk
Cholesterol, total
199 mg/dL or less
200-239 mg/dL
240 mg/dL or greater
Triglycerides
149 mg/dL or less
150-199 mg/dL
200-499 mg/dL
HDL Cholesterol
60 mg/dL or greater
39 mg/dL or less
130-159 mg/dL
160 mg/dL or greater
LDL Cholesterol (calculated)
129 mg/dL or less
(99 mg/dL or less for highest risk patients)
Appearance
Clear
VLDL Cholesterol (calculated)
30 mg/dL or less
06.02.11
Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
9500 Euclid Avenue, L15, Cleveland, Ohio 44195
800.628.6816 | www.clevelandcliniclabs.com
References
1. American Heart Association. Guide to primary prevention
of cardiovascular diseases: Risk intervention, Blood Lipid
Management. Available online at http:www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
guidelines/cholesterol/atp3full.pdf through http://www.
americanheart.org.
2. American Academy of Family Physicians. Cholesterol:
What Your Level Means. (Updated October 2007). Available
online at http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/
common/heartdisease/risk/029.html through http://
familydoctor.org.
3. Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. Coronary Risk
Profile. (May 12, 2008). Available online at http://www.
nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003491.htm.
4. Executive Summary of the Third Report of the National
Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on
Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood
Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA. 2001;285:2486-2497.
Test Overview
Test Name Lipid Panel, Basic
Methodology Enzymatic
Specimen Requirements Volume/Size: 1 mL; Type: Plasma; Tube/Container: Lithium heparin (Green);
Transport Temperature: Refrigerated.
Minimum Specimen Requirements
Volume/Size: 0.5 mL
Alternate Specimen Requirements
Volume/Size: 1 mL; Type: Serum; Tube/Container: SST (Gold)
Clinical Information
Evaluation of hyper- or hypolipidemia and risk for cardiovascular disease. Measures triglycerides; total cholesterol; HDL cholesterol; calculated VLDL cholesterol;
calculated LDL cholesterol; calculated total cholesterol to HDL ratio; calculated LDL
to HDL ratio; calculated non HDL cholesterol.
Special Information
Patient should be fasting for a minimum of 12 hours and on a stable diet 3 weeks
prior to collection. If triglycerides are greater than 400mg/dL, LDL cholesterol will
be measured (direct) and billed. Indicate the number of hours of fasting and age of patient on requisition.
Billing Code
80058
CPT Code
80061
Technical Information Contact:
Scientific Information Contact:
Anne Bordner Blank, MBA, MT(ASCP)
216.444.2173
[email protected]
Edmunds Z. Reineks, MD, PhD
216.444.9143
[email protected].
201106.036