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Lab Manual for Moffitt-Long and Mount Zion

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Cholesterol, LDL

Item Value
Approval req'd? No
Available Stat? No
Test code LDL
Test group Cholesterol
Performed by Parnassus Chemistry
In House Availability Test available 24 hours per day 7 days per week
Method Calculated (Friedewald formula)
Patient Preparation Patient should fast for 9-12 hours prior to collection.
Container type Gold top or Light Green top
Amount to Collect 3 mL blood
Sample type Serum or plasma
Preferred volume 1.5 mL serum or plasma
Min. Volume 1 mL serum or plasma
Units mg/dL
Normal range Children and Adolescents (< 20 y/o):
Acceptable < 110 mg/dL
Borderline high 110-129 mg/dL
High > 129 mg/dL


Adults: (≥ 20 y/o):
Optimal < 100 mg/dL
Near or above optimal 100-129 mg/dL
Borderline high-risk 130-159 mg/dL
High-risk 160-189 mg/dL
Very high-risk > 189 mg/dL
Synonyms low density lipoprotein; LDL cholesterol; Coronary risk panel; lipid panel
Stability Room temperature 8 hours, refrigerated 2 days, frozen at -20C 1 week
Additional information To convert mg/dL to mmol/L (SI units) multiply by 0.0259.

LDL cholesterol is calculated from the formula: Total cholesterol-(HDL cholest. + Triglycerides/5). THIS ESTIMATE IS NOT RELIABLE IF TRIGLYCERIDES EXCEED 400 mg/dL, at which level the calculation of LDL cholesterol is suppressed and an explanatory comment is appended. To obtain a more reliable estimate of LDL cholesterol in this situation, request "sendout testing for direct LDL assay.
CPT coding 80061
LOINC code 13457-7
Last Updated 12/18/2012 12:42:27 PM
Entry Number 194

If you have additional questions regarding this test, please call: 415-353-1667

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