Lipid profile (cholesterol test): normal levels, fasting and price in Pakistan
What a lipid profile measures (LDL, HDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol), healthy levels, whether to fast, and why heart risk starts early in Pakistan.
2 min readUpdated 31 October 2026
This is general information only, not medical advice. Please always confirm with your medical consultant or a certified doctor before using any medicine, test or treatment.
Heart disease is a leading cause of death in Pakistan, and South Asians often develop it at a younger age than people in many other countries. A lipid profile measures the fats in your blood and is one of the simplest ways to check your heart risk.
Compare lipid profile prices at labs near you.
What a lipid profile measures
- LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol): builds up in the artery walls. Lower is better.
- HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol): helps clear cholesterol. Higher is better.
- Triglycerides: fats that rise with sugar, refined flour, oily food, alcohol and weight gain.
- Total cholesterol: the overall amount.
Healthy levels for adults
| Test | Desirable level |
|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | below 200 mg/dL |
| LDL cholesterol | below 100 mg/dL (lower targets for people with heart disease or diabetes) |
| HDL cholesterol | above 40 mg/dL in men, above 50 mg/dL in women |
| Triglycerides | below 150 mg/dL |
Your doctor decides your own target from your overall risk: age, blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, family history and kidney health.
Do I need to fast?
Traditionally labs ask for 9 to 12 hours of fasting (water is allowed). Many guidelines now accept a non-fasting test for screening, but fasting is still needed if triglycerides are high or your doctor asks for it. Follow the lab's instructions, and test with fasting blood sugar at the same time if your doctor wants both.
Who should get tested
- Adults from about age 20 to 25 every few years, and more often after 40.
- Anyone with diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, obesity or a smoking habit.
- People with a parent or sibling who had a heart attack or stroke at a young age.
- People already on cholesterol medicine, to check the effect.
Lowering cholesterol
Lifestyle comes first:
- Cut down on ghee, fried food, bakery items, sweets and sugary drinks; use less oil in cooking.
- Eat more vegetables, lentils, fruit, whole grains and fish.
- Walk briskly for at least 30 minutes on most days.
- Stop smoking and keep a healthy weight.
Medicines: if your risk is high, your doctor may prescribe a statin such as atorvastatin or rosuvastatin, sometimes with ezetimibe. These pages list the brands sold in Pakistan with prices. Take them regularly; stopping on your own raises the risk again. Tell your doctor about muscle pain while on a statin.
Related tests
- HbA1c for diabetes: read our HbA1c guide.
- LFT, sometimes checked before and during statin treatment.
- Troponin I, done in hospital when a heart attack is suspected.
Chest pain is an emergency
Chest pain or pressure, especially with sweating, breathlessness or pain in the arm or jaw, needs 1122 right away. See emergency numbers and what to do.
This is general information only, not medical advice. Please always confirm with your medical consultant or a certified doctor before using any medicine, test or treatment.