Heart health
Non-HDL cholesterol
Non-HDL-C
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Compare membershipsAll the cholesterol that can contribute to plaque.
Non-HDL cholesterol is calculated by subtracting your HDL cholesterol from your total cholesterol. What's left is the cholesterol carried by LDL and other particles that can contribute to plaque in your arteries.
Canadian guidelines use it as an alternative to LDL.
LDL cholesterol counts the cholesterol in one type of particle. Non-HDL cholesterol also includes the cholesterol in triglyceride-rich particles and their remnants, so it captures more of the cholesterol that can end up in artery walls.
The 2021 Canadian Cardiovascular Society guidelines list non-HDL cholesterol and ApoB as alternatives to LDL cholesterol for assessing risk, especially when triglycerides are high.
Total cholesterol minus HDL leaves the cholesterol that can build plaque.
Questions
Do I need to fast for this result?
In most cases, no. Non-HDL cholesterol changes little after a meal, so a non-fasting sample works well. That's one reason Canadian guidelines accept it alongside ApoB.
What does a higher result mean?
A higher result means more cholesterol is travelling in particles that can contribute to plaque. A clinician reads it with your ApoB, blood pressure, smoking status, family history, and other risk factors to judge your overall risk.
How is it different from ApoB?
Non-HDL cholesterol measures how much cholesterol the particles that can build plaque carry. ApoB helps count the particles themselves. The two usually move together, and when they don't, ApoB can add useful detail.
Sources and references