Check your cholesterol without a doctor's referral

Cholesterol has its reputation for a reason: it plays a role in your heart and blood vessels. Yet not all cholesterol is the same. A lipid panel breaks it down, so you see more than a single total number.

Together, your LDL, HDL and triglycerides say something about markers linked to cardiovascular risk. If you want to measure your cholesterol, this test gives you a clear starting point to work from.

This test can be useful if you are curious about your cholesterol, for example because it runs in your family or because you have not looked at it in a while.

It can also be valuable around hormonal changes. Around menopause your cholesterol sometimes shifts along with your changing hormones, something many women are not aware of. A measurement can then give you a bit more insight into your own situation.

This test looks at three values in your blood:

• LDL Cholesterol: often described as the cholesterol that can build up in your blood vessels.
• HDL Cholesterol: helps to carry cholesterol away from your blood vessels.
• Triglycerides: a type of fat in your blood that is linked, among other things, to what you eat and drink.

Together, these three values make up your lipid profile.

Your result shows how your values compare to a reference range. This gives you a more nuanced view than your total cholesterol alone.

By measuring your LDL cholesterol alongside your HDL and triglycerides, you build a fuller lipid profile. It remains a single snapshot, which says the most in combination with your lifestyle, your age and your wider situation.

This test requires a small blood draw at a certified lab. In the Netherlands you can choose from 650+ sample points across the country.

After ordering, you pick a location near you and schedule a moment that suits you. The draw itself usually takes only a few minutes, and you do not need a referral from your GP.

A lipid panel can be valuable at different moments, for example:

• when you want to know how your cholesterol is doing
• when cardiovascular conditions run in your family
• around menopause, when your cholesterol may move along with your hormones
• when you have adjusted your lifestyle and want to measure your triglycerides to see where you stand

If you want to buy a cholesterol test, you can do so easily online, without a referral and at a moment that suits you.

Your result shows your LDL, HDL and triglycerides, each with a reference range. What counts as usual can vary slightly by laboratory.

A value outside the range can mean different things and does not say everything on its own. The doctor helps you place your cholesterol test in the right context, so you understand what you see.

Your result is usually available online within a few working days. Each value is shown clearly with a reference range and an explanation, so you understand what you see.

Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.