Hypertension Blog

The fasting serum lipid profile measures total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. This test helps in the overall assessment of hypertension and in identifying a patient’s risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD).

Hyperlipidemia commonly results from hyper­tension. Hypertension injures the endotheliallining of the arterial wall. And this damage promotes platelet aggregation and lipid deposits, leading to intracoronary atherosclerosis and plaque formation.

Patient preparation

To obtain accurate test results, tell the patient to fast for 14 hours before the test. He may drink water during the fast, but he should abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages before the test. Also, he should avoid exercising immediately before the test.

The patient should maintain a stable diet and lifestyle for 2 weeks before this test. An acute illness or an exacerbation of a chronic illness can cause inaccurate test results. Also, certain drugs­such as antilipemics, oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, and diuretics-can interfere with the test results.

Test Implications

High levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol can indicate the development of CAD, as can low levels of HDL cholesterol. A patient’s risk of CAD also increases when elevated triglyceride levels appear in conjunction with high LDL and low HDL cholesterol levels.