Is advanced lipoprotein testing useful?
Ask the doctor
A waxy, yellowish fat found in cells throughout the body, cholesterol travels through your bloodstream in tiny, protein-covered particles called lipoproteins. The lipid part of these particles contains both cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of fat used to store energy and deliver it to your muscles. The smallest, densest particles are high-density lipoproteins (HDL). They remove cholesterol from artery walls and return it to the liver for excretion. In contrast, harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles deliver cholesterol to cells in the artery wall, creating artery-clogging plaque that can trigger a heart attack or certain types of stroke. That is why LDL cholesterol is sometimes called "bad" cholesterol, while HDL cholesterol is called "good" cholesterol.
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