Health Services Laboratories (HSL) will now be reporting LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with serum triglycerides up to 9.0 mmol/L, as the method of estimation of LDL-C is changing from Friedewald to the Sampson equation.

This change is effective immediately.

The reason for the change is that the Sampson equation provides a more accurate calculation of LDL-C than the Friedewald equation, especially when triglyceride (TG) levels are high (up to 9.0 mmol/L) or LDL-C is very low. 

You can find out more detail behind the reasoning for this switch to Sampson from Friedewald on the Whittington Health website.

Contact the HSL duty biochemist if there are any issues associated with this change.