- A comprehensive cholesterol test is actually a series of blood tests that gauge your total cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotien) and triglycerides. This is commonly referred to as a lipid profile. The lipid profile gives more valuable information than just an overall cholesterol test because that number is not as accurate a predictor of heart disease and stroke as is your LDL cholesterol. For this test, your blood is drawn and then analyzed at a laboratory. Generally, you must fast before the blood is drawn--not eating or drinking anything but water for nine to 12 hours beforehand. You can't even have coffee or tea, as they disrupt the levels that are being tested.
- Because there are no outward signs indicating an excess of triglycerides or LDL cholesterol in your body, everyone should be tested. The National Education Cholesterol Program guidelines advise most people to undergo the lipid profile test once every five years beginning at age 20. Do not wait until you are sick or hospitalized for this test because certain conditions can affect your results. Your doctor may recommend more frequent tests if you have a family history, are overweight, don't exercise or your cholesterol levels are very high. Because the buildup of cholesterol starts in childhood, children should be tested if there is a history of heart disease or high cholesterol in your family.
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HDL (or "good") cholesterol helps carry cholesterol away from the arteries; therefore, a higher HDL level is commensurate with a decreased risk of a heart attack. LDL (or "bad") cholesterol builds up in your arteries and increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. Triglycerides measure the buildup of fat in your body.
Ideal HDL levels are 60 mg/dL or greater, and optimal LDL levels fall below 129 mg/dL. Desirable total cholesterol levels fall under 200 mg/dL. Triglycerides of less than 150 mg/dL are considered healthy. You should discuss your results with your doctor, as individual target numbers will vary. For example, LDL is more indicative of future health problems than just overall cholesterol, and this matters even more if you have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, if you smoke and if you're a man or an older woman. - You should change your diet and lifestyle if your cholesterol is between 200 and 239 mg/dL so you avoid reaching a number greater than 240 mg/dL. That doubles your risk of developing coronary heart disease, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kills approximately 630,000 men and women each year. If you need to lower your cholesterol, monitor your intake of dietary cholesterol. Eat minimal saturated and trans fats, which are known to increase cholesterol. Keep a healthy weight, exercise and stop smoking. If lifestyle changes don't give you the intended results, talk to your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medicines.
