Quick Facts
- Sample: Blood
- Fasting: Fast for 8–12 hours before your blood draw (water only). Maintain a stable diet for 2–3 weeks before testing. Continue prescribed medications unless instructed otherwise by your healthcare provider. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before testing, as it may affect triglyceride results.
- Turnaround: 1-2 business days. May take longer based on weather, holiday, or lab delays.
What This Panel Evaluates
This panel pairs a lipid profile with two blood sugar measurements to help you assess risk related to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The lipid components report cholesterol and triglyceride results, including calculated values and a ratio. Hemoglobin A1c and glucose add blood sugar information alongside them.
The two blood sugar components measure different things. Hemoglobin A1c reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months, while glucose reflects your blood sugar at a specific point in time. Together they offer a longer-term view and a current view, and the lipid results add a separate look at cholesterol and triglycerides.
What's Included in This Panel
Biomarkers tested may vary slightly between labs.
Lipid Components
- Cholesterol, Total: Measures total cholesterol in your blood.
- HDL Cholesterol: Measures high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which carries cholesterol back to the liver.
- LDL Cholesterol (calculation): Calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, associated with cholesterol deposits on artery walls.
- VLDL Cholesterol (calculation, LabCorp only): Calculated very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which carries the highest amount of triglycerides.
- Non-HDL Cholesterol: Reported as a separate cholesterol value alongside the other lipid results.
- Triglycerides: Measures fats carried in your bloodstream that provide energy to the body.
- Chol/HDLC Ratio: Calculated ratio comparing total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol.
Blood Sugar Components
- Hemoglobin A1c: Measures your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months.
- Glucose, blood: Measures your blood sugar level at a specific point in time.
Benefits
- Combines cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood sugar measurements in one blood sample.
- Adds Hemoglobin A1c, which reflects average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months.
- Includes glucose, a measure of blood sugar at a specific point in time.
- Reports total, HDL, LDL, and non-HDL cholesterol alongside triglycerides.
- Provides a Chol/HDLC ratio next to your individual cholesterol results.
Who Is This Panel For?
- People who want to review cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar together.
- People with a history of high cholesterol or cardiovascular problems.
- People with diabetes or prediabetes who want lipid and blood sugar markers in one panel.
- People with risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or early family heart disease.
- People with symptoms tied to increased cardiovascular risk who plan to discuss results with a provider.
How It Works
- Order Your Test Online
- Visit a Local Lab
- Get Results Online
FAQ
1. Do I need to fast or prepare for this panel?
Fast for 8–12 hours before your blood draw (water only). Maintain a stable diet for 2–3 weeks before testing for consistent results. Continue taking your prescribed medications unless your healthcare provider instructs otherwise. Do not stop prescribed medication unless instructed by your healthcare provider. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before testing, as it may affect triglyceride levels.
2. How quickly will I get results?
1-2 days. May take longer based on weather, holiday, or lab delays.
3. What can this panel tell me?
Two lenses come together here: a blood fat view and a blood sugar view. Cholesterol and triglyceride values describe the fats in your blood, Hemoglobin A1c reflects average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months, and glucose captures a single point in time. Each answers a different question, so they add context to one another rather than repeating the same information.
4. What factors can affect my results?
Several things can shape what your numbers show. Alcohol in the 24 hours before your draw may affect triglyceride levels, and a stable diet in the weeks beforehand supports consistent results. Glucose and Hemoglobin A1c also reflect different time frames. Reported components can vary slightly by lab, and VLDL cholesterol is included with LabCorp only.
5. How do I interpret results across the panel?
Read the markers as a set rather than one at a time. Cholesterol, triglyceride, and ratio values relate to blood fats, while Hemoglobin A1c and glucose relate to blood sugar over different time frames, so they need not move together.
A normal value in one area does not cancel an abnormal value in another, and a single abnormal value does not define the whole panel. A qualified healthcare provider can help you put the full set in context.
Disclaimer: Reference ranges may vary by laboratory. Listed ranges are general guidelines and may differ from those used by the performing lab. Always consult your healthcare provider for interpretation.
6. What should I do if one or more results are abnormal?
Start by sharing your full report with a qualified healthcare provider rather than focusing on a single number. An out-of-range component is best understood alongside the rest of the panel and your overall clinical context. It does not confirm a condition or call for treatment on its own. Your provider can decide whether any additional evaluation makes sense, and you should keep taking prescribed medications as directed unless they tell you otherwise.
Pre-test preparation
Fast for 8–12 hours before your blood draw (water only). Maintain a stable diet for 2–3 weeks before testing for consistent results. Continue taking your prescribed medications unless your healthcare provider instructs otherwise. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before testing, as it may affect triglyceride levels.
