For the study, researchers compared cholesterol testing results of 300,000 people from Denmark, Canada, and the U.S. In both the U.S. and Canada, fasting for eight hours before a test is required. In Denmark, however, it is not.
Patients who are scheduled for a lipid profile test should fast (except for water) for 12-14 hours before the blood sample is drawn. If the patient's cholesterol is to be fractionated, he or she also should avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the test. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Ato...
Reference Range. The standard lipid profile, as recommended by the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III), consists of direct measurement of total cholesterol, HDL-C, and triglycerides, with a calculated LDL-C, obtained after a 9-hour to 12-hour fast.