LDL subfraction tests such as LIPOSCREEN measure how much of a person’s LDL is carried in small, dense particles, and some panels add oxidised LDL, lipoprotein(a) and HDL subfractions. Small dense LDL is linked with higher heart risk, but guidelines base treatment on LDL cholesterol, non HDL cholesterol, ApoB, lipoprotein(a) and the Australian cardiovascular risk calculator. Subfractions add little to those decisions. Verified practitioners can order Nutripath’s panels through Vively.
| Test type | Measured in a fasting blood sample |
|---|---|
| Nutripath code | 4028, 4031, 4032, 4029, 4001, 4027 |
| Sample and collection | Fasting blood drawn at a partner collection centre using the Nutripath kit |
| Preparation | Fast for 12 hours beforehand, with water only. Keep taking prescribed medicines, including statins, unless the prescriber says otherwise. |
| Turnaround | 7 to 10 business days (Nutripath estimate, from when the lab receives the sample). Allow extra days for postage. |
| Available through | Nutripath test ordered through Vively. You need to be a verified practitioner to refer it. |
| Pricing | Pricing in your practitioner account |
| Results | PDF report from Nutripath, filed in your client’s record and app beside their blood results |
Only practitioners can order this test. Ask your naturopath, nutritionist or dietitian whether they use Vively.
What do LIPOSCREEN and the cardiovascular profiles measure?
A standard lipid panel reports how much cholesterol is in LDL. These tests look at the particles that carry it and at markers linked with damage to blood vessels.
LIPOSCREEN separates LDL by gel electrophoresis into large buoyant particles and small dense particles, and reports a pattern and an average particle size.
Oxidised LDL is LDL that has been chemically changed. It is found in artery plaque and is studied as a marker of oxidative stress.
The 4031 and 4032 panels add lipoprotein(a) and oxidised LDL. The 4032 panel also splits HDL into subfractions.
The comprehensive and extensive profiles include a lipid panel, ApoA1 and ApoB, lipoprotein(a), CRP, fasting glucose, fibrinogen and homocysteine. The extensive profile adds LDL subfractions.
| Nutripath test | Code | Sample | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIPOSCREEN LDL Subfractions | 4028 | Blood | 7 to 10 business days |
| LIPOSCREEN LDL Subfractions and Oxidised LDL | 4031 | Blood | 7 to 10 business days |
| LIPOSCREEN LDL and HDL Subfractions and Oxidised LDL | 4032 | Blood | 7 to 10 business days |
| Oxidised LDL | 4029 | Blood | 7 to 10 business days |
| Cardiovascular Profile, Comprehensive | 4001 | Blood | 7 to 10 business days |
| Cardiovascular Profile, Extensive | 4027 | Blood | 7 to 10 business days |
How do you order a LIPOSCREEN or cardiovascular profile through Vively?
- Get verified. You need to be a verified practitioner to refer tests. Practitioners with a recognised qualification or membership (ATMS, NHAA, ANTA, Dietitians Australia, NSA, CMA or Ahpra registration) can request free practitioner access.
- Build the order. Log in to the practitioner platform, choose the Nutripath test and add any blood tests or the $99 Baseline Health Check to the same order. Pricing shows in your account, and either your client or your practice can pay.
- Kit and blood draw. Nutripath posts your client a kit with the tubes and request form. Your client takes it to a partner pathology collection centre for the blood draw, early in the week (Monday to Wednesday), then posts the sample back to Nutripath in the express packaging provided.
- Review the report. Nutripath’s PDF report is filed in your client’s record and app, next to their blood results, ready for the follow-up consult.
See every Nutripath test you can order on the Nutripath tests page.
Order a LIPOSCREEN or cardiovascular profile with your client’s other blood tests
Free access for verified naturopaths, nutritionists and dietitians. Order Nutripath tests and blood pathology in one place, and see every result in your client’s record.
What do advanced lipid tests add, and what do they not?
Some of these markers are well established and some are not. It helps to know which ones change treatment.
The Australian guideline bases treatment decisions on overall cardiovascular risk (Commonwealth of Australia, 2023). The European guideline uses LDL cholesterol and non HDL cholesterol targets, with ApoB and a once in a lifetime lipoprotein(a) as useful extras (Mach et al., 2020).
Small dense LDL is associated with heart disease, but it tracks closely with high triglycerides and low HDL. After those are known, it adds little to risk prediction, and guidelines do not recommend routine subfraction testing.
Oxidised LDL is studied in research, but assays vary and no treatment target exists. It does not change management on its own.
Lipoprotein(a) is mostly inherited and raises risk independently of LDL. ApoB counts the number of atherogenic particles. Both can be ordered as single tests with standard pathology.
How do advanced lipids fit with standard blood work?
Read any advanced lipid result next to the standard markers. These are what a GP or cardiologist will use.
- ReferHigh LDL, high ApoB or high Lp(a)
Refer to the GP for a cardiovascular risk assessment, especially with a family history of early heart disease.
- CheckSmall dense LDL pattern with high triglycerides
Usually a sign of insulin resistance. Check glucose markers and work on diet, weight, alcohol and activity.
- CheckRaised hs-CRP or homocysteine on a profile
Repeat hs-CRP when the client is well, and check B12 and folate if homocysteine is high.
- ContextNormal LDL, non HDL and ApoB
A favourable subfraction pattern adds reassurance, but an unfavourable one does not override normal standard markers.
What can affect an advanced lipid result?
- Not fasting for 12 hours, which raises triglycerides and shifts the LDL pattern
- Statins, ezetimibe, fibrates and other lipid lowering medicines
- Recent illness, surgery or infection, which can lower cholesterol and raise CRP
- Alcohol in the days before the test
- Uncontrolled diabetes, an underactive thyroid or kidney disease
When should you refer the client to their GP?
- LDL cholesterol above 5.0 mmol per litre, the level Australian guidance uses to screen adults for familial hypercholesterolaemia, or a family history of very high cholesterol or early heart disease
- Raised lipoprotein(a) or ApoB
- A family history of heart attack or stroke at a young age
- Chest pain, breathlessness on exertion or other heart symptoms
- Any question about starting, stopping or changing a statin
How should a client prepare for an advanced lipid test?
Copy or print this to send to your client. Follow the instructions in the Nutripath kit if they differ.
Preparing for your advanced lipid test
- Fast for 12 hours before your blood draw. You can drink water.
- Keep taking your prescribed medicines, including statins and other cholesterol medicines. Never stop a statin without talking to your doctor.
- Avoid alcohol for a day or two before the test, and avoid hard exercise the day before.
- Book the test for a time when you are well, not during or just after an illness.
- Take the Nutripath kit and request form to a partner pathology collection centre, Monday to Wednesday, then post the sample back as the kit instructions say.
- Your practitioner will receive the report and go through it with you.
What does the LIPOSCREEN and advanced lipid report look like?
Nutripath publishes sample reports on its website. They open in a new tab.
How do practitioners use advanced lipid tests with clients?
Start with the standard markers: a fasting lipid panel, ApoB, a once in a lifetime lipoprotein(a), glucose markers and blood pressure, and ask the GP for a cardiovascular risk assessment. An advanced lipid test can help a motivated client see how diet, weight and insulin resistance affect their particles, and some practitioners use the pattern to track lifestyle change. Decisions on statins belong to the prescriber. If a client is on a statin, keep it going and share the report with their doctor.
LIPOSCREEN and advanced lipids FAQs
Can a naturopath, nutritionist or dietitian order a LIPOSCREEN test through Vively?
Yes. You need to be a verified practitioner to refer it. Add the Nutripath test to an order in the Vively practitioner platform, on its own or with blood tests. Pricing shows in your account. No account yet? Request free access.
Is small dense LDL worse than large LDL?
Small dense LDL is linked with higher heart risk, but it usually comes with high triglycerides and low HDL, which already show up on a standard panel. After accounting for those and LDL particle number (ApoB), subfractions add little.
Should my client stop their statin before the test?
No. Keep taking statins and other prescribed medicines. The prescriber decides on any change, and the result should be read knowing the client is on treatment.
Which is more useful, ApoB or LDL subfractions?
ApoB. It counts the number of particles that can enter the artery wall, guidelines recognise it, and it can be ordered as a single standard test. Lipoprotein(a) is also worth measuring once.
How long do advanced lipid results take?
Nutripath estimates 7 to 10 business days from when the lab receives the sample. Allow a few extra days for postage.
References
- Mach F, Baigent C, Catapano AL, et al. 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk. European Heart Journal. 2020;41(1):111-188.
- Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health and Aged Care. Australian guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk. 2023.
- Watts GF, Sullivan DR, Hare DL, et al. Integrated guidance for enhancing the care of familial hypercholesterolaemia in Australia. Heart, Lung and Circulation. 2021;30(3):324-349.
- Ivanova EA, Myasoedova VA, Melnichenko AA, Grechko AV, Orekhov AN. Small dense low-density lipoprotein as biomarker for atherosclerotic diseases. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2017.
- Nutripath. LIPOSCREEN, oxidised LDL and cardiovascular profiles, test codes 4001, 4027, 4028, 4029, 4031 and 4032. nutripath.com.au, checked 1 October 2026.