HYPERLIPOPROTEINEMIA DIAGNOSIS

It would be easier if simple cholesterol and triglyceride tests were all it took to assess the risk of atherosclerosis. But the important information is which package the cholesterol is in--the LDLs or the HDLs. That takes a more elaborate testing process. To complicate matters further, the amount of fats in the blood varies greatly in relation to the last meal--how long ago it was and what kind of food was eaten. A true estimate of the risk comes from several tests several weeks apart all done after at least twelve hours of fasting.