Definition: LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) is the cholesterol carried in LDL particles, which move fat through the blood. MedlinePlus calls it the "bad" cholesterol because a high level leads to cholesterol building up in the arteries. HDL, the "good" cholesterol, carries cholesterol back to the liver to be removed. Both are part of the lipid panel.
MedlinePlus explains that extra LDL, with other substances, forms plaque that builds up in artery walls (atherosclerosis). In the heart arteries this is coronary artery disease, which can cause chest pain or, if blood flow is blocked, a heart attack. A high LDL usually causes no symptoms, so it is found by a blood test.
| Label | LDL change |
|---|---|
| Jardiance (SGLT2 inhibitor) | +4.6% on 10 mg and +6.5% on 25 mg vs +2.3% on placebo |
| Invokana (SGLT2 inhibitor) | +4.5% on 100 mg and +8.0% on 300 mg vs placebo |
| Farxiga (SGLT2 inhibitor) | +2.9% vs -1.0% on placebo at week 24 |
| Kyzatrex (oral testosterone) | Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides all went down; lipids are checked periodically |
These are average changes in a group. They say nothing about any one person's result.
Lipid results are usually months apart. Keeping each result with its date, next to when a medicine was started or changed, is what makes a before-and-after comparison possible.
Read more on Dose Track: Cholesterol and blood fats · Does TRT affect cholesterol? · Jardiance side effects · Kyzatrex side effects