Home › Biomarkers › Atherogenic index of plasma
Researchers looked at data from 1,433 people in 35 groups. Each group had a different risk of fat build-up in the vessel wall. The atherogenic index of plasma was directly linked to that risk.[1]
On this page you can read what the atherogenic index of plasma is, what the guidelines say about a value that is too low or too high, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: AIP, log(TG/HDL-C). At the lab: n/a.
The atherogenic index of plasma is not a separate measurement. It is a calculation from two values in your blood: your triglycerides and your HDL cholesterol. The logarithm is taken of the ratio between the two.[1]
The name comes from the researchers Dobiásová and Frohlich. In 2001, they proposed calling this measure the atherogenic index of plasma.[1]
The values of the index lie close to those of FER(HDL) and to the size of the fat particles in your blood.[1]
The researchers found a strong link between the index and FER(HDL) (r = 0.803). FER(HDL) is the rate at which cholesterol is converted in part of the plasma. That rate is an indirect measure of the size of the fat particles in your blood.[1]
In 35 normal subjects, a higher index went with smaller LDL particles.[1]
Because the index lies so close to those measurements, the researchers say it can serve as a measure of how strongly your plasma can promote fat build-up in the vessel wall.[1]
| Value | Can point to | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Higher index[1] | A higher risk of fat build-up in the vessel wall | The 1,433 people from 35 groups studied |
| Higher index[1] | Smaller LDL particles in your blood | 35 normal subjects |
| Lower index[1] | A lower risk of fat build-up in the vessel wall | The 1,433 people from 35 groups studied |
| Lower index[1] | Larger LDL particles in your blood | 35 normal subjects |
Source: Dobiásová and Frohlich, Clin Biochem 2001. An analysis of earlier data. The source gives no cut-off values.[1]
A high index can point to a higher risk of fat build-up in the vessel wall and to smaller LDL particles. The source gives no threshold above which a value is too high.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
The index is the logarithm of your triglycerides divided by your HDL cholesterol. Do your triglycerides rise while your HDL cholesterol stays the same? Then the index rises with them.[1]
HDL cholesterol sits below the line in the calculation. Does your HDL cholesterol rise while your triglycerides stay the same? Then the index falls.[1]
The atherogenic index of plasma is included in BioProfile 77, 87, 121 and 150.[2]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 26 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 26 October 2026. Every number on this page comes from one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to check this page; once that check is done, the expert's name and the date of the check will appear at the top. This page explains and does not diagnose. Discuss an abnormal value with your GP.
