Lab test · Cardiology
HDL Cholesterol
Good cholesterol level
- Blood sample
- No fasting
- Report within 24 hours
- Home collection
What this test is for
Good cholesterol level
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is often called 'good' cholesterol. HDL particles carry extra cholesterol away from the blood vessels and back to the liver, where it can be removed. Higher HDL levels are generally linked with a lower risk of heart disease, so this result is used with other cholesterol values to estimate heart and stroke risk.
Why a doctor may order it
- As part of a heart risk check, together with total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides
- For people with diabetes, high blood pressure, a smoking habit or a family history of heart disease
- To follow up a previous low HDL result
- To help calculate heart and stroke risk scores
How to prepare
Fasting: Not needed.
Fasting is not needed for HDL, so you can eat and drink normally. Keep taking your usual medicines, including any cholesterol medicine, unless your doctor says otherwise. If this test is booked together with a fasting test, follow the fasting instructions for that test.
At home
- Sample
- Blood sample
- How it works
- The collector draws a small blood sample from a vein in your arm at home in a few minutes. If other cholesterol tests or a blood sugar test are booked too, they can usually be done from the same draw.
- Report
- Within 24 hours of collection.
What the results can mean
Your report shows HDL next to the laboratory's range or target. A low HDL is linked with a higher risk of heart disease and is more common with smoking, lack of exercise, excess weight, type 2 diabetes and high triglycerides. A higher HDL is usually favourable, but it does not cancel out other risk factors. Your doctor will interpret HDL together with your other cholesterol results, blood pressure and overall health.
What's included
One test: HDL Cholesterol, from one blood sample.
Related tests
- Lipid ProfileA lipid profile measures the fats in your blood: total cholesterol, LDL ('bad') cholesterol, HDL ('good') cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
- LDL CholesterolLDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is often called 'bad' cholesterol.
- Triglycerides (TG)Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the blood.
- Total CholesterolThis test measures the total amount of cholesterol in your blood, adding together the 'bad' LDL cholesterol, the 'good' HDL cholesterol and other types.
- NT-proBNPHeart failure check৳1,700
- Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)Bad cholesterol particles, heart risk৳2,070
Questions people ask
Why is HDL called good cholesterol?
HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries back to the liver. Because of this, higher levels are generally linked with a lower risk of heart disease.
What is the difference between HDL and LDL?
LDL carries cholesterol to the tissues and can build up in artery walls, so it is called 'bad' cholesterol. HDL helps remove cholesterol, so it is called 'good' cholesterol.
What can lower HDL?
Smoking, lack of physical activity, excess weight, type 2 diabetes and some inherited conditions can lower HDL. Your doctor can advise on ways to improve your overall heart health.
Do I need to fast for an HDL test?
No. HDL changes very little after a meal, so a non-fasting sample is fine. Follow your doctor's advice if other tests booked with it need fasting.
How much does a HDL test cost in Dhaka?
With Mukti Health the price is ৳170, and the sample is collected at your home in Dhaka. You see the price again before you confirm the booking in the Mukti Health app.
Can I do the HDL test at home in Dhaka?
Yes. Book it in the Mukti Health app and a trained sample collector comes to your home in Dhaka to take the blood sample. You do not need to go to a laboratory.
How long does the HDL report take?
The report is usually ready within 24 hours of the sample being collected.