{"id":"ldl-cholesterol","name":"LDL Cholesterol","shortName":"LDL-C","aliases":["LDL-C (NIH Calc)","LDL-C","LDL Cholesterol","LDL Chol Calc (NIH)","LDL Cholesterol, Calculated","Cholesterol, LDL, Calculated","LDL Cholesterol (Calc)","LDL, Calculated","LDL Direct","LDL Cholesterol, Direct","LDL Cholesterol (Direct)","LDL Chol. (Direct)","Direct LDL Cholesterol","Direct LDL","LDL Chol (Beta-Quantification)","LDL Cholesterol, Beta-Quantification","Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol","Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol","LDL-Cholesterol","Cholesterol, LDL","LDL Cholesterol Friedewald","Colesterol LDL","Colestérol LDL","Cholestérol LDL","LDL-Cholesterin","LDL-Kolesterol","Colesterolo LDL"],"abbreviations":["LDL-C","LDL","LDLC","LDL-chol","dLDL-C"],"loinc":[{"code":"13457-7","primary":true},{"code":"18262-6","primary":false},{"code":"2089-1","primary":false},{"code":"18261-8","primary":false},{"code":"39469-2","primary":false},{"code":"69419-0","primary":false},{"code":"22748-8","primary":false}],"specimen":"serum-or-plasma","units":[{"ucum":"mg/dL","display":"mg/dL"},{"ucum":"mmol/L","display":"mmol/L"},{"ucum":"g/L","display":"g/L"}],"referenceRanges":[{"population":"20+","low":null,"high":99,"unit":"mg/dL","unitDisplay":"mg/dL","note":"Typical US lab limit, printed as '<100' or '0-99'. It is a treatment-target convention (the NCEP 'optimal' level), not the central 95% of a healthy population. Mayo applies it from age 18, Labcorp from age 20. A European consensus suggested labs flag LDL-C at 115 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) and above. Goals are lower for people with higher heart risk.","sources":[{"title":"Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (Direct) (test 120295)","url":"https://www.labcorp.com/tests/120295/low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol-direct","publisher":"Labcorp"},{"title":"Cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Calculated, Serum (test CLDL1)","url":"https://www.testcatalog.org/show/CLDL1","publisher":"Mayo Clinic Laboratories"},{"title":"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)","url":"https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/guidelines/atp3xsum.pdf","publisher":"NHLBI, National Institutes of Health","year":2001},{"title":"Fasting is not routinely required for determination of a lipid profile: clinical and laboratory implications including flagging at desirable concentration cut-points (EAS and EFLM joint consensus statement)","url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4929379/","publisher":"European Heart Journal","year":2016}]}],"review":{"status":"ai-verified","label":"AI-verified against cited sources. Awaiting expert review","lastReviewed":"2026-10-03"},"summary":"The cholesterol carried in LDL particles, which can build up in artery walls. It is the main cholesterol number used to estimate heart and blood vessel risk.","url":"https://bloodtesttracker.com/markers/ldl-cholesterol","notice":"Information, not medical advice. Ranges differ between labs, so the range on your own report is the one your result is judged against."}