Laboratory Medicine
Test Directory / Cholesterol
Cholesterol
Brown clotted serum, gel barrier or lithium heparin
| Test | Cholesterol |
|---|---|
| Common Abbreviations | CHO, CHOL |
| Profile | Lipids |
| Tube type | Brown clotted serum, gel barrier or lithium heparin |
| Clinical Indication | Total cholesterol provides a baseline that indicates whether further investigations should be carried out. The individual predictive value of total cholesterol concentration with regard to coronary risk is low. Cholesterol is mainly transported in two lipoprotein classes (LDL & HDL), both of which play a contradictory role in the pathogenesis of lipid disorders. |
| Specimen Type | Blood |
| Sample type | Serum |
| Minimum Volume | 0.5mL If requesting more than 10 tests please send an additional brown clotted serum sample. |
| Special Precautions | No special requirements |
| Stability | 7 days at 2-8oC |
| Turnaround Time | Inpatient: 4 hours Outpatient/ GP: 24 hours |
| Laboratory | York and Scarborough |
| Reference Interval | Treatment target: <5.0mmol/L (Recommended by the Joint British Society Guidelines) |
| Limitations | Methimazole (antithyroid) can give falsely low results if administered before/ during venepuncture. N-acetyl cysteine / NAPQI (paracetamol overdose) can give falsely low results. Cholesterol cannot be accurately measured in patients with serum bilirubin levels above 130umol/L |
| Notes |
