Clinic appointment
Core Blood Test with Cholesterol
A general panel covering liver, kidneys, bone minerals, blood sugar and a full blood count, with cholesterol split into HDL, LDL and non-HDL.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- Fasting preferred
What’s included
21 markers measured
All items are shown below, grouped by area. You can collapse a group as you read.
Full blood count
Full blood count
Measures how many blood cells you have. It is a common blood test, used to look for blood problems such as iron deficiency anaemia.
Kidney & salt balance
Urea
Urea is checked together with sodium, potassium and creatinine to assess how well the kidneys are working and the body's fluid balance.
Creatinine
A waste product measured in the blood as the main test for kidney disease. Combined with age and sex, it is used to work out eGFR, an estimate of how much the kidneys can filter each minute. A lower eGFR can point to chronic kidney disease.
eGFR
eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) is an estimate of how well your kidneys filter waste from the blood. It is calculated from the level of creatinine, a waste product, in your blood, together with your age and sex. A lower rate can be a sign of chronic kidney disease.
Liver
Bilirubin
A breakdown product of haem from red blood cells, which the liver processes so it can be passed out in bile. A raised level can come from extra red blood cell breakdown, liver disease or a blocked bile duct, and can lead to jaundice.
Alkaline phosphatase
Alkaline phosphatase, one of the standard liver function tests. A raised level, especially with a raised GGT, suggests a problem with bile flow (cholestasis), such as a blocked bile duct. Bone disease and low vitamin D can also raise it.
AST
Aspartate transaminase, a liver test read together with ALT. A pattern where AST and ALT are the main raised liver tests points to liver cell damage, for example from viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, alcohol or medicines. The balance between AST and ALT gives clues to the cause.
ALT
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is one of the standard liver blood tests. A raised level mainly points to injury to liver cells, which can be caused by viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, alcohol, autoimmune hepatitis or some medicines. Its pattern alongside the other liver tests helps show the likely type of liver problem.
Gamma GT
A liver enzyme that is more sensitive than ALT or AST to alcohol, some medicines and fatty change in the liver.
Total protein
Measures the total amount of protein in the blood. A low level can point to a liver or kidney problem, or to protein not being digested or absorbed well; a high level can reflect dehydration or a cancer such as multiple myeloma. Further tests show which proteins are out of range.
Albumin
The main protein your liver makes. It is a useful marker of the liver's longer-term output.
Globulin
Serum globulins, a group of blood proteins. Levels can rise in long-term liver inflammation (chronic hepatitis) and in cirrhosis.
Bone & minerals
Calcium
A mineral that helps build bones and keep teeth healthy, controls how muscles contract (including the heartbeat) and helps blood to clot normally.
Uric acid
A raised uric acid level (hyperuricaemia) is the most important risk factor for gout, where urate crystals form in and around joints. Levels are more likely to be high with kidney disease, some medicines such as diuretics, excess weight, and a diet high in alcohol, sugary drinks, meat or seafood.
Magnesium
A mineral involved in muscle and nerve function and in releasing energy from food.
Diabetes
Glucose
Measures the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood when the sample is taken. It may be done after not eating for a few hours (a fasting test) or at other times, and the result is judged differently depending on when you last ate. A high level is mainly seen in diabetes.
Cholesterol
Triglycerides
A type of blood fat measured in a standard lipid profile, which does not usually need a fasting sample. A high level is one form of lipid imbalance and is a risk factor for heart and circulatory disease in its own right.
Total cholesterol
The total amount of cholesterol carried in your blood. The result can be split into HDL (good) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, and doctors use it with things like age and blood pressure to estimate the risk of heart and circulation problems.
HDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol is part of a standard cholesterol (lipid) profile. It works against the build-up of fatty plaque in artery walls, so higher levels are linked with a lower risk of heart and circulation disease. A low HDL level is one form of unhealthy blood fat balance (dyslipidaemia).
LDL cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is usually calculated from the other results in a standard cholesterol profile. It plays a major part in fatty plaque building up in artery walls, so a raised level increases the risk of conditions such as heart attack and stroke. It has long been the main target of cholesterol-lowering treatment.
Non-HDL cholesterol
All the cholesterol types that raise heart risk added together in one number. NICE uses it to set cholesterol treatment goals.
Overview
A broad baseline covering liver, kidneys, bone minerals, blood sugar and a full blood count, with cholesterol split into HDL, LDL and non-HDL. Doctors use that split, not just the total, when they talk about heart and circulation health. One sample covers the lot.
A broad baseline across liver, kidneys, bone, blood sugar and blood count, plus the HDL, LDL and non-HDL split used when discussing heart and circulation health.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Anyone wanting the basics plus the full cholesterol breakdown
- People with heart disease or high cholesterol in the family
Who it isn’t for
- It does not include thyroid, iron stores, vitamin D or HbA1c. For heart risk specifically, Advanced Heart Health adds apoB and lipoprotein(a). It is not a screening test for cancer.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- A general check that includes the cholesterol breakdown
- A family history of heart disease or high cholesterol
- Tiredness with no obvious cause
- A baseline before changing diet or exercise
- A year or two since your last blood test
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Haemoglobin▼ Low
- Result
- 108 g/L
- Range
- 120–150 / 130–170
- UreaIn range
- Result
- 5.1 mmol/L
- Range
- 2.5–7.8
- CreatinineIn range
- Result
- 78 µmol/L
- Range
- 45–84 / 59–104
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haemoglobin | 108 | g/L | 120–150 / 130–170 | ▼ Low |
| Urea | 5.1 | mmol/L | 2.5–7.8 | In range |
| Creatinine | 78 | µmol/L | 45–84 / 59–104 | In range |
Doctor’s note (example)
Haemoglobin is a little below the range and the red cells are on the small side, which most often points to low iron. I would check ferritin next; this is common and usually straightforward to put right.
…and 18 more markers. Ranges shown as women / men. Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- You book your appointmentA trained clinician takes your sample at one of our London clinics. Nothing to do at home.
- The clinician takes your sampleA single clinic blood draw by a trained clinician
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Clinic blood draw
- Preparation
- Fasting preferred
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
A fasted sample is preferred for this test, which usually means nothing but water overnight. It is not essential, and the reviewing doctor takes it into account if you have eaten. If you can, book a morning slot and come before breakfast.
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
Why is non-HDL cholesterol reported?
Non-HDL is total cholesterol minus HDL, so it adds together all the cholesterol types other than HDL. NICE guidance uses non-HDL cholesterol, alongside LDL, when setting cholesterol treatment targets.
Do I need to fast?
Fasting is preferred: ideally nothing but water overnight, so that a recent meal does not raise your glucose or triglycerides. It is not essential. If you have eaten, the reviewing doctor takes that into account when reading your results.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test is a clinic blood draw, as it needs a venous sample for accuracy. We arrange a convenient appointment for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
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