For the study, researchers compared cholesterol testing results of 300,000 people from Denmark, Canada, and the U.S. In both the U.S. and Canada, fasting for eight hours before a test is required. In Denmark, however, it is not.
Patients who are scheduled for a lipid profile test should fast (except for water) for 12-14 hours before the blood sample is drawn. If the patient's cholesterol is to be fractionated, he or she also should avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the test. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Ato...
A fasting lipoprotein profile (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG) in all adults over the age of 20 once every 5 years is recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III), sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, and endorsed by the American Heart Association. 15 The American Academy of Family Physicians strongly recommends periodic cholesterol measurement in men aged 35 to 65 and in women aged 45 to 65. 16 The American College of ...