High-density lipoprotein test
Risks associated with this test may include:
HDL will usually be done as part of an overall lipid profile, where "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides will also be measured. The combined information gathered from all of these tests may help your risk of heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.
Your health care provider will recommend therapy if your risk is found to be high. Regular exercise can increase HDL levels by several points.
Toth PP. Cardiology patient page. The "good cholesterol": high-density lipoprotein. Circulation. 2005 Feb 8;111(5):e89-91.
Executive Summary of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA. 2001;285:2486-2497.