1. If It Tastes Good, Spit It Out
A lipid panel, or lipid panel blood test, is a series of tests done on blood that measures the levels of various kinds of fats. It has long been known that people with high levels of cholesterol have an increased incidence of heart disease, but the modern complete lipid panel test is far more sophisticated than a simple cholesterol measurement. These blood tests are important to not only identify those at risk, but also to help people maintain their sanity. Dietary fat is part of many tasty foods. If your lipids are low, you have a license to cheat.
2. Will They Please Make up Their Minds?
Trying to stay abreast of what should and should not be eaten can drive anyone slightly bonkers. "Eggs are bad. No, they're good. No they're kinda good." "Buffalo meat is just fine, but only if taken from a skinny buffalo." "Eating a donut with trans-fats in it will kill you before you have a chance to wipe its crumbs off your shirt." These sorts of dietary "rules" have turned nutrition into a topic more confusing than Italian politics. The truth is that a balanced diet is the most appropriate, but some people should reduce the portion of fat in that balance. That is why a lipid panel is an important test to identify where you fit relative to an appropriate diet.
3. What is a Lipid Panel compared to a Lipid Test?
The word "panel" is used to describe tests that are included together as a group. There are liver panels, electrolyte panels and renal (kidney) panels. The lipid panel includes: total cholesterol, HDL (good fat), LDL (bad fat) and triglycerides. Some panels may also include VLDL, very-low-density lipoprotein and a ratio of total cholesterol to HDL. When viewed in total, these tests offer an overall view of a person's fat metabolism.
4. Your 190 Cholesterol is Bad--Mine's Not
There are instances where comparing numbers with other people's is risky. You may have a cholesterol of 190 and an HDL of 60. That means your cholesterol to HDL ratio is 3.17. That's an acceptable ratio and certainly not one that requires treatment. Your best friend may have a cholesterol of 190, but his doctor may have placed him on a cholesterol-lowering medication. Before the two of you decide that his doctor is a pill pushing idiot, it's best to find out what the rest of his lipid panel shows. His HDL may be 20. That makes his ratio 9.5, which requires medication.
5. Even With Medication, Panels are Important
If you need a cholesterol-lowering medication, that does not mean that you can forget about lipid panels. It's important, particularly early on in your treatment, to have them rechecked.
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