1. LDLP (LDL Particle) Test, Not Just a Cholesterol Number
Most Indian adults over 40 get a standard lipid panel. It shows total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides. What it misses is the size and count of LDL particles, and that gap matters. A 2019 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that LDL particle number predicted cardiovascular events more accurately than standard LDL-C in patients whose LDL-C appeared normal. Indians carry a genetic predisposition toward small, dense LDL particles, which are more arterially damaging per unit than large ones. The standard lipid panel can show a "normal" LDL while your actual cardiac risk is elevated. The LDLP test, or its proxy NMR lipoprofile, costs between ₹1,500 and ₹3,000 at most diagnostic chains. No doctor will order it unless you ask. Ask.
