You’ve probably had a standard lipid panel at a routine physical, since it’s generally recommended every four to six years for healthy adults, and more often for those with heart disease or diabetes. The blood test checks your levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein or LDL (the “bad” cholesterol that can form plaque on artery walls), high-density lipoprotein or HDL (the “good” cholesterol that helps funnel extra fats to the liver for removal) and triglycerides (a common type of fat that, coupled with high LDL, can threaten heart health).
