Oops I ate 4 hours before blood test for cholesterol, etc, now what?

October 18, 2007 9:16 AM

So just got typical lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol test but realized afterwards I ate 3.5 hours before blood was drawn...how much will be results be off?

FYI I at two pieces of whole grain wheat toasts with probably 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter 3.5 hours before that test.

posted by UMDirector to health & fitness (4 comments total)

uh..wheat toast. :)
posted by UMDirector at 9:17 AM on October 18, 2007

From this spottily sourced FAQ:

A lipid profile should be done after a nine- to twelve-hour fast without food, liquids, or medication. If fasting is not possible, the values for total cholesterol and HDL-C may still be useful. If total cholesterol is 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or higher, or HDL-C is less than 40 mg/dl, the individual will need to have a follow-up lipoprotein profile done to determine LDL-C and triglyceride levels.
(emphasis added)

But you should probably call your doctor and see about rescheduling, regardless. Those peanut butter fats will have been in your blood (mostly in the form of triglycerides and LDL, as implied above).
posted by twoporedomain at 9:43 AM on October 18, 2007

...And Johns Hopkins agrees:

If it is not possible to have a fasting lipid profile performed, a reasonable alternative would be to measure your total cholesterol and/or your HDL cholesterol. These tests do not have to be performed fasting.

So I guess you can wait and see how the initial set of numbers look, informing the doctor that the TG and LDL numbers don't reflect fasting levels (and making sure it's noted on your chart and test results, in case it ever comes back to haunt you re: insurance premiums, etc)
posted by twoporedomain at 9:46 AM on October 18, 2007

If your samples haven't been sent to the lab yet, you might be able to save some $$ over doing the test twice by just rescheduling.
posted by amtho at 9:52 AM on October 18, 2007