Lipids
HDL cholesterol
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the lipid fraction carried by HDL particles, often described as the protective or "good" cholesterol because it supports reverse cholesterol transport away from tissues. At the point of care it is reported as part of a lipid panel from a single fingerstick sample, alongside total cholesterol, triglycerides, calculated LDL and the total cholesterol to HDL ratio.
Why it is measured
HDL cholesterol is a core component of cardiovascular risk assessment and lipid screening, and a low result is recognised as an independent marker of raised cardiovascular risk. Point-of-care measurement supports rapid lipid review in primary care, pharmacy and community health-check settings without sending a sample to a central laboratory.
| Typical range | Indicative adult values are roughly 1.0 to 2.2 mmol/L (about 40 to 85 mg/dL), and a higher HDL is generally regarded as more favourable. Commonly cited desirable lower thresholds are above 1.0 mmol/L (about 40 mg/dL) in men and above 1.2 to 1.3 mmol/L (about 50 mg/dL) in women, with values below these often regarded as low. These figures are guideline thresholds expressed in each unit system and are not exact unit conversions. Ranges are indicative only and vary by method, analyser and the local laboratory or guideline applied, so results should be read against the reporting platform's stated reference values. |
|---|---|
| Sample | Capillary fingerstick whole blood is typical for point-of-care lipid testing; venous whole blood can also be used on some platforms. Fasting is not required for HDL itself, though local protocols may specify fasting when a full lipid panel and calculated LDL are needed. |
| Turnaround | Typically about 2 to 6 minutes from sample application, depending on the analyser and cassette or strip used. |
Point of care devices that report it
- Abbott (Alere) Cholestech LDX
- PTS Diagnostics CardioChek PA and CardioChek Plus
- Roche cobas b 101
- ACON Mission Cholesterol meter
Questions, answered
Does the patient need to fast before a point-of-care HDL test?
HDL cholesterol is relatively stable in the non-fasting state, so fasting is generally not required to measure HDL alone. Fasting is more relevant when triglycerides and a calculated LDL are needed, so follow your local lipid-testing protocol for the full panel.
Why might a point-of-care HDL result differ from the central laboratory?
Point-of-care analysers use different measurement chemistries, sample types (often capillary rather than venous) and calibration to large laboratory platforms, so small differences are expected. For monitoring trends it is good operational practice to keep to the same method where possible and to confirm clinically important or unexpected results by the laboratory.
What sample volume and time should be expected at the point of care?
Most point-of-care lipid systems use a single small drop of fingerstick blood and report HDL within a few minutes as part of the lipid panel. Exact volume, time and measuring interval depend on the specific analyser and its consumables, so refer to the device documentation.