Each entry gives a one-sentence definition, what the test measures, normal or target ranges (2026 ACC/AHA guideline for the US, NHS and NICE for the UK) and what raises or lowers it. For the full picture, start with how to read your cholesterol test results.
General information, not medical advice
Ranges and goals vary with your overall heart risk and between labs. Go through your own results with your doctor or another qualified health professional.
A–Z
A
- ApoB
- A protein on every plaque-forming particle, so the test counts the particles.
H
- HDL cholesterol
- The cholesterol in HDL particles, which carry cholesterol back to the liver.
L
- LDL cholesterol
- The cholesterol in LDL particles, the main driver of plaque and the main target of treatment.
- Lipoprotein(a)
- An inherited LDL-like particle; one test in adulthood is usually enough.
N
- Non-HDL cholesterol
- Total cholesterol minus HDL: the cholesterol in every plaque-forming particle.
P
- PREVENT risk calculator
- The AHA calculator for 10- and 30-year heart attack and stroke risk.
T
- Triglycerides
- The most common fat in your blood; very high levels can cause pancreatitis.
V
- VLDL cholesterol
- A liver-made particle that mainly carries triglycerides; usually estimated, not measured.
Deeper reading
- How to read your cholesterol test results: every number on a lipid panel, with ranges by age and sex.
- New cholesterol guidelines 2026: what changed in the US guideline and what it means for you.
- The Lp(a) test: who should get it and what the result means.
- Free cholesterol calculators: unit converter, LDL calculator and saturated fat calculator.
Track your numbers over time
Heart Tracker logs every cholesterol test in mg/dL or mmol/L and charts your total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides over time, next to what you were eating. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Download Heart Tracker Free