Blood cholesterol tests (lipid profile)
Do not eat anything and only drink water for 10-12 hours before having blood cholesterol tests (lipid profile).
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that can build up in your arteries and increase your risk of conditions such as heart disease.
There are several different cholesterol tests. When these are done together it’s called a lipid profile. A lipid profile tests the levels of:
- ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol
- 'bad’ (LDL) cholesterol
- total cholesterol
- triglycerides (other fatty substances)
If you're just having a triglycerides test, do not drink alcohol for 24 hours before the test (you'll also need to fast
Fasting blood glucose test
Do not eat or drink anything except water for 8-10 hours before a fasting blood glucose test. These are used to diagnose diabetes, a condition caused by too much glucose (sugar) in the blood.