Basics about Cholesterol Screening
Cholesterol is a waxy material found naturally in your body. High levels of cholesterol can increase your risk for heart disease. There are no symptoms for high cholesterol. You are at risk if you have a family history, are overweight or eat too many of the bad types of fats found in certain foods.
The screening blood test for cholesterol is called a lipoprotein profile and it measures 4 things: total cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol), HDL (good cholesterol) and triglycerides. Men are encouraged to screen starting at age 35 years and women at age 45 years.
What You Can Do
Talk with your doctor about when you should have a lipoprotein profile and how often. Cholesterol should be checked at least once every 5 years and more often if medically necessary. Your doctor can help you choose healthy lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol.
