Blood and lab tests
What Is LDL Cholesterol on a Blood Test?
LDL Cholesterol · say it: el-dee-el koh-LES-ter-olAlso written: LDL, LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein, "bad" cholesterol
Short answer
LDL cholesterol is the type of cholesterol that can build up in artery walls, which is why it is often called "bad" cholesterol.
What it means
Cholesterol is a fatty substance your body needs to build cells and make hormones. It travels in the blood inside particles called lipoproteins. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) carries cholesterol out to the body's tissues.
When there is more LDL than the body needs, it can collect in the walls of arteries and contribute to narrowing over time. That is why LDL is a major focus when doctors think about heart and blood vessel risk.
On many reports LDL is calculated from other cholesterol numbers rather than measured directly. Doctors interpret it together with other risk factors, so the right target can differ from person to person.
Where you may see it
- Lipid panels or cholesterol profiles
- Cardiovascular risk assessments
- Routine health check reports
📄 How it looks on a report
LDL Cholesterol (calc) 3.4 mmol/L
🙅 What it does not mean
- A result inside the printed range is not necessarily on target for you; doctors may aim lower depending on your overall risk.
- LDL alone does not tell your heart risk. Blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, family history and other factors all matter.
- "Bad" cholesterol is a nickname. LDL has a normal job in the body; the concern is having too much of it over a long time.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
🧾 Reports where you will see “LDL Cholesterol”
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💊 Medicines whose labels mention “LDL Cholesterol”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Atorvastatin
a statin, a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor type
- Rosuvastatin
a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the statin type (an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor)
- Simvastatin
a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor type (often called a statin)
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “LDL Cholesterol” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- MedlinePlus lab test guides ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.