When your doctor has you do blood work and tells you that you have high cholesterol, what does that actually mean? There are several different lipid biomarkers that are commonly used including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Taken together, your family doctor uses these biomarkers to determine if you are at risk of cardiovascular disease. HDL and LDL aren’t actually cholesterol, but rather are lipoproteins that act as transporter molecules that carry cholesterol through the bloodstream. While these biomarkers are important numbers to look at for cardiovascular health, they can also be useful screening tools for other health conditions.