What is assessed using a lipid panel?

A lipid panel is specifically designed to assess the levels of different types of lipids in the blood. This includes measuring total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides. Evaluating these parameters helps in assessing an individual's risk for cardiovascular diseases and other lipid-related disorders.

The other options focus on different health metrics: measuring blood glucose levels is related to assessing diabetes risk and management; evaluating overall kidney function looks at parameters like creatinine and blood urea nitrogen; and analyzing white blood cell count is important for diagnosing infections or immune disorders. Each of these tests serves a distinct purpose, but none provide information about lipid levels as the lipid panel does.