Raw Lipid Panel Values
Placeholder lead: three numbers measured directly from a fasting blood draw.
- mg/dL: Total Cholesterol (placeholder measured value)
- mg/dL: HDL Cholesterol (placeholder measured value)
- mg/dL: Triglycerides (placeholder measured value)
- 9–12 h: Fasting Window (placeholder standard prep)
What the lab actually measures
Placeholder: TC, HDL, TG measured enzymatically; LDL is not.
Why fasting matters
Placeholder: triglycerides spike after meals, skewing later math.
Setting a baseline
Placeholder: these three inputs feed every downstream calculation.
Placeholder insight: only three values are ever directly measured.
Calculating LDL — The Friedewald Formula
Placeholder lead: LDL is estimated, not measured, using a simple subtraction.
- TC−HDL−TG/5: Formula (placeholder equation)
- 400 mg/dL: Reliability Cutoff (placeholder TG limit)
- 1972: Published (placeholder origin year)
- TG/5: Assumes VLDL (placeholder VLDL estimate)
The subtraction logic
Placeholder: VLDL approximated as TG divided by five.
Where it breaks down
Placeholder: high triglycerides invalidate the VLDL assumption.
Direct LDL alternative
Placeholder: direct assay used when formula is unreliable.
Placeholder insight: above TG 400, calculated LDL is unreliable.
Triglyceride-to-HDL Ratio
Placeholder lead: a simple ratio flags insulin resistance and particle size.
- <2.0: Optimal Ratio (placeholder low-risk cutoff)
- >4.0: Elevated Ratio (placeholder high-risk cutoff)
- Particle size: Reflects (placeholder small dense LDL)
- Insulin resistance: Linked To (placeholder metabolic marker)
Why the ratio matters
Placeholder: high TG with low HDL suggests small dense LDL.
A metabolic proxy
Placeholder: ratio correlates with insulin resistance severity.
Not a replacement
Placeholder: ratio supplements, never replaces, LDL interpretation.
Placeholder insight: ratio above four flags atherogenic pattern.
Comparing Values Against Risk Categories
Placeholder lead: each value is placed on its own risk-category scale.
- <100: LDL Optimal (placeholder mg/dL)
- ≥190: LDL Very High (placeholder mg/dL)
- ≥60: HDL Protective (placeholder mg/dL)
- <150: TG Normal (placeholder mg/dL)
LDL categories
Placeholder: optimal, near-optimal, borderline, high, very high bands.
HDL and TG categories
Placeholder: higher HDL protective, higher TG progressively worse.
No value stands alone
Placeholder: ranges are inputs to a combined judgment.
Placeholder insight: category placement alone does not equal risk.
Overall Cardiovascular Risk Pattern
Placeholder lead: the combined picture, not one value, drives the decision.
- 4: Pattern Inputs (placeholder combined values)
- 3: Risk Bands (placeholder low/moderate/high)
- Statin: Therapy Trigger (placeholder if elevated)
- ~3 months: Reassessment (placeholder follow-up window)
Combining the signals
Placeholder: LDL, ratio, and reliability merged into one score.
Therapy implications
Placeholder: elevated risk pattern can justify statin therapy.
Beyond the panel
Placeholder: lifestyle and other risk factors still matter.
Placeholder insight: pattern-based judgment beats single-value reading.