›› What is a cholesterol test...

Cholesterol tests are much different from any other medical test you get. This is because they are not used to diagnose a disease, but rather to prevent one – specifically heart disease. High cholesterol levels have been linked with hardening of the arteries, heart disease and a much higher risk of death from heart attacks. Cholesterol tests are now a routine part of preventive health care.

These tests are recommended as a screening exam that is to be done on adults at least once every five years. They are normally administered along with a routine physical exam. A cholesterol test is usually ordered in combination with other tests including HDL and LDL. This combo is called a lipid profile.

Cholesterol levels are tested more often with people who have been prescribed a particular diet and/or medication to control their cholesterol. The test is done to see how well these regimens work in lowering cholesterol to optimal levels and in turn lower the risk of developing heart disease.

In an average setting where testing is done, the results are put in three categories of risk:

• Desirable: A result below 200 mg/dL shows a low risk of heart disease.
• Borderline High: A result of 200 to 240 mg/dL shows a moderate risk of developing heart disease. At this point, your doctor may decide to do a lipid profile to see whether your levels are either bad cholesterol (high LDL) or good cholesterol (high HDL). The results of this test will dictate what happens next.
• High Risk: A result above 240 mg/dL means that you are in the high risk category to develop heart disease. Your doctor probably will get a lipid profile as well as order a battery of other tests to find out the cause of your high cholesterol. Once the cause is found, your physician will prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Testing will be done after treatment has started to monitor how much your cholesterol levels are decreasing. After seeing the changes, your target value will be determined by your doctor. This target is usually based on LDL levels.