LDL Testing Preparation

The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) test is part of the "lipid profile" for your blood. Along with total cholesterol, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein levels, your LDL-C results help your doctor get a better sense of your risk for developing artherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. It is essential that you take the proper steps to ensure the most accurate test results possible.

Fasting

• Food can cause a temporary surge in your normal LDL levels, generating inaccurate test results. Therefore, it is recommended that you fast from food and drink for at least 12 hours before having your blood drawn. You are only allowed small sips of water every hour until four hours prior, at which point you can't have anything to eat or drink. To make the fasting easier, try scheduling the test for the morning. This way, most of your fast is spent sleeping, instead of thinking about food.

Stop Taking Certain Drugs

• Various drugs are known to cause increased levels of LDL-C to appear in blood tests. As such, your doctor may try to have your stop taking them for one to two weeks prior to the test. These drugs include aspirin, birth control pills, phenothiazines (a class of anti-psychotic drugs used to treat schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder), corticosteroids (a large class of drugs most often used for allergies and other auto-immune disorders), and sulfonamides (includes certain antibiotics, anti-convulsants and diuretics) .