The HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, test measures the amount of good cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in all the cells of your body.

Cholesterol has several different functions, including helping to build cells in the body. Cholesterol is transported through the bloodstream attached to proteins called lipoproteins.

There are two types of cholesterol in your body, called high-density lipoprotein, good cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol.. HDL is known as good cholesterol, because it transports low-density lipoproteins to harmful lipoproteins, lipoproteins and harmful lipoproteins (LDL).. does.

When high-density lipoprotein reaches your liver, the liver breaks down the low-density lipoprotein and removes it from the body after converting it into bile.

Learn more: What to eat for high cholesterol?

The body is made up mostly of LDL cholesterol....LDL is considered bad cholesterol....because high amounts of it in the body can lead to plaque formation in the arteries....this can lead to heart disease or stroke.

Research has shown that people with healthy HDL cholesterol levels are at a lower risk of coronary artery disease.. Your doctor can check your cholesterol levels using a simple test.

Why HDL test is done?

The HDL test is also known as the HDL-C test. This test is one of several tests your doctor may order to check your cholesterol levels.

The HDL test specifically checks the level of HDL in your blood.. If your cholesterol screening test shows high results, an HDL test may also be ordered as a follow-up test.

The American Heart Association recommends that all adults age 20 and older have their cholesterol checked every four to six years. Your doctor may also test HDL as part of a regular checkup.

Doctors may prescribe this test regularly for people who are at risk of heart disease. The following people should always check their blood cholesterol.

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• People with diabetes
• People have a family history of heart disease
People with high blood pressure
• Men over 45
• Women over 55
• Cigarettes
• People who use tobacco
• People who have heart disease or heart attack.

Your doctor may also order this test to monitor the effectiveness of treatments or to check whether lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, or quitting smoking have been successful in lowering your cholesterol levels.

What are the risks of HDL testing?

The HDL test requires a routine blood draw....so it rarely causes serious problems....Dangers of giving a blood sample include:

• Bleeding under the skin or hematoma
• Excessive bleeding
• Fainting
• infection

How should we prepare for the HDL test?

Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to prepare for the test. This may include not taking certain medications for a short period or fasting for up to 12 hours before the test.

You shouldn't test HDL when you're sick... Cholesterol levels drop temporarily during acute illness, immediately after a heart attack, and during stressful events such as surgery or an accident.

To measure cholesterol levels, it is recommended to wait at least six weeks after any illness.... In women, HDL cholesterol can change during pregnancy, so you should wait at least six weeks after giving birth to measure HDL.

How is the HDL test done?

The HDL test is quick and relatively painless.... A doctor takes a blood sample using a needle... You may feel a burning sensation in the area where the blood sample was taken... However, some tests, such as the home test, only require a drop of blood, which is administered using a small needle called a lancet.

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Once the lab officials have transferred enough blood into an air-tight bottle attached to the needle, they package the sample and send it to the lab for testing.

Learn more: TG Test

Conclusion

The optimal level of HDL cholesterol is more than 60 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). For men, HDL levels are less than 40 mg/dL and for women, 50 mg/dL. Therefore, its increase indicates the risk of heart disease.

You can have high cholesterol and have no symptoms...that's why it's important to get your cholesterol tested regularly...especially if you have any of the risk factors for heart disease.