Lipid Panel

Yes. 'Cholesterol test', 'cholesterol panel', 'lipid profile' and 'lipid panel' all refer to the same blood test: total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides from one draw. A stand-alone total cholesterol test exists but is rarely ordered, because the breakdown into LDL and HDL is what actually guides heart-risk decisions.

Total cholesterol, LDL ('bad' cholesterol), HDL ('good' cholesterol), and triglycerides. The panel also calculates non-HDL cholesterol and the total/HDL ratio — both useful for cardiovascular risk stratification.

Yes — 9-12 hours of fasting (water only) gives the most accurate triglyceride reading. LDL and HDL are less affected by recent meals, but most clinicians still recommend fasting so all four numbers are reliable in one draw.

General targets: Total under 200 mg/dL, LDL under 100, HDL above 40 (men) or 50 (women), triglycerides under 150. Personalized targets depend on overall cardiovascular risk — people with existing heart disease often target LDL under 70.

On TestWell, the Lipid Panel is $24.99. Quest Direct lists the same test at $59, walk-in hospital labs typically bill $120-150 without insurance. Same CLIA-certified labs, same biomarkers — TestWell just removes the markup.

The CPT code for a standard Lipid Panel is 80061. This single code bills all four components (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides). The expanded Advanced Lipid Panel uses additional CPT codes for ApoB and direct LDL.

Many cardiologists now consider ApoB the single best predictor of heart attack risk — better than LDL alone. Two people with identical LDL can have very different ApoB and very different risk. Our Heart Health Panel includes both at a discount.

Yes — the Lipid Panel is available at both Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp patient service centers nationwide. After you order on TestWell, pick whichever lab you prefer and we'll generate a digital requisition for any of their walk-in locations.

Every 4-6 years for healthy adults under 40; annually after 40 or if you have risk factors. Every 3-6 months when starting or adjusting statin therapy. Every 3 months on a major diet or weight-loss intervention.

Not usually anymore. Major guidelines now accept non-fasting lipid panels for routine screening, and total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL are stable either way. Triglycerides rise after eating, so if triglycerides are the focus - or your provider asks - fast 9-12 hours (water and medications are fine).

A standard lipid panel is enough for most people's first look. If you have a strong family history, borderline results, or normal cholesterol but ongoing concern, adding ApoB (particle count) and Lp(a) (an inherited risk marker checked once in a lifetime) gives a sharper risk picture.

Yes. You can order online through TestWell without a doctor's visit; the draw happens at Quest or Labcorp, or at home via a mobile phlebotomist where available. Results are physician-authorized and shareable with any provider.

A cholesterol test costs $24.99 out of pocket at TestWell ($30.99 all-in with the $6 per-order lab processing fee) — it is sold here as the Lipid Panel, with no doctor's visit or insurance required. Ordered directly from the labs' own sites, the same test lists at $59.00 at Quest Health and $59.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (checked September 2026). Results in 1–3 business days.

Ordered directly, a Lipid Panel lists at $59.00 at Quest Health (Quest Diagnostics' own site) and $59.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (prices checked September 2026). TestWell orders the same test at the same Quest or Labcorp patient service centers for $24.99 — $30.99 all-in with the $6 per-order lab processing fee — paid out of pocket at checkout with no insurance, doctor's visit or draw fee; HSA and FSA cards are accepted.

Lipid Panel results are typically ready in 1–3 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.

Keto and high-protein diets, eating before the draw, smoking and nicotine and alcohol can change a Lipid Panel result without anything being wrong. Keto and high-protein diets can raise LDL Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol and can lower Triglycerides — recheck with ApoB; discuss cardiovascular risk rather than dismissing the rise as 'diet noise'. Eating before the draw can raise Triglycerides and can lower LDL Cholesterol — fast 8–12 hours; no alcohol the evening before. Smoking and nicotine can lower HDL Cholesterol and can raise LDL Cholesterol — recheck lipids 6–12 weeks after quitting. Alcohol can raise Triglycerides — no alcohol for 24–72 hours before a lipid panel. Each factor is covered on our physician-reviewed "Before your test" pages; when one applies, the fix is usually to remove it and retest.

The Lipid Panel is Quest Diagnostics test code 7600 ("Lipid Panel, Standard"), Labcorp test number 303756, BioReference code 0009-1 ("Lipid Screen (Basic Lipid Panel)") (CPT 80061). TestWell orders it under those codes for $24.99 at Quest, Labcorp or BioReference — no doctor's visit or insurance required, results in 1–3 business days. Codes verified against the labs' catalogs in 2026.