Fasting Required: Yes – 12 Hours Specimen: Blood Results: 3 Business Days Description: Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is naturally present in the body. The body uses cholesterol to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that help digest fat. High cholesterol can cause fatty deposits in blood vessels which cause narrowing and may lead to heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease. Because high cholesterol has been associated with hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), heart disease, and a raised risk of death from heart attacks, cholesterol testing is considered a routine part of preventive health care. This test only gives the total cholesterol value. Methodology: Spectrophotometry (SP)