Lab results online in Canada, explained
Lipid panel results explained (Canada)
A lipid panel measures fats in your blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides. In Canada it is part of a wider check of your risk of heart and blood vessel disease, along with your health history, a blood sugar test and a kidney test.
Also printed as: Cholesterol test, Lipid profile.
What is on the report
Typical adult ranges. Each lab sets its own, so the range printed next to your result is the one that counts.
| Test | What it is | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | All the cholesterol in your blood, good and bad together. | under 5.2 mmol/L (desirable) |
| LDL cholesterol | The 'bad' cholesterol that can build up in artery walls. | under 2.6 mmol/L (desirable) |
| HDL cholesterol | The 'good' cholesterol that carries extra cholesterol back to the liver. | over 1.3 mmol/L (women) over 1 mmol/L (men) |
| Non-HDL cholesterol | All the 'bad' cholesterol together: total cholesterol minus HDL. | under 3.4 mmol/L (desirable) |
| Triglycerides | The main type of fat carried in the blood. | under 1.7 mmol/L (fasting) |
Good to know in Canada
- In Canada, cholesterol and triglycerides are reported in mmol/L.
- Canadian guidance lists the standard lipid profile as total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Non-HDL is total cholesterol minus HDL.
- Canadian guidance says doctors may use non-HDL cholesterol or apolipoprotein B (apoB) in place of LDL, and prefers them when triglycerides are raised.
- Most adults can have this test without fasting. Fasting is suggested for people who have had very high triglycerides before.
- Canadian guidance also recommends measuring lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), once in a lifetime with the first lipid screening, so it may appear on one report and not on later ones.
Call 911 in an emergency. For health advice that is not an emergency, call 811 in most provinces and territories. For questions about your results, contact your family doctor, nurse practitioner or the clinic that ordered the test.
Keep your reports in one place
Take a photo or screenshot of your lab report, or upload the PDF, and Vita explains each number in plain words, suggests what to ask your doctor, and keeps it with your past results. Vita does not connect to any Canadian health record system. Hospital connections are for US hospitals, not Canadian ones.
Vita Health Coach on the App StoreAsk it in ChatGPT
Vita Health Coach also answers in ChatGPT. One tap opens ChatGPT with this question ready to send:
“What should I ask the doctor about my Lipid panel result?”
Questions
Do I need to fast before a lipid test?
Usually not. Canadian guidance supports non-fasting lipid tests for most adults. Not fasting changes non-HDL very little, LDL slightly and triglycerides a little more. Follow the instructions you were given.
Why does my report show non-HDL cholesterol?
Non-HDL is your total cholesterol minus your HDL. It covers the cholesterol in the particles that can build up in artery walls. Canadian guidance allows doctors to use it, or apoB, instead of LDL.
What is Lp(a) and why was it tested once?
Lipoprotein(a) is a type of particle in the blood linked to heart disease risk. Canadian guidance recommends measuring it once in a person's lifetime, as part of the first lipid screening.
More for Canada
Sources
General information, not medical advice. VitaMedas is not connected with any government health service. Vita Health Coach explains; it never diagnoses. In an emergency, call 911. Read the medical disclaimer.