Keeping cholesterol under control is vital to cardiovascular health. While some level of cholesterol is necessary, an excess is a major contributor to heart attack and stroke risk, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Fortunately, cholesterol levels are easy to test. If your levels aren't appropriate, your doctor can prescribe steps to lower them, including lifestyle changes and medications. Knowing what types of tests to get and when to get them is key to maintaining good heart health at every stage of life.
Significance
Your body needs a certain amount of cholesterol. The body uses the waxy substance to make cell membranes and certain hormones. In most cases the body produces all the cholesterol it needs. Dietary cholesterol, such as that found in egg yolks, dairy products and meat, is part of the reason for high blood cholesterol levels. Getting your cholesterol tested beginning in early adulthood can help you get a developing problem under control before it leads to bigger health issues.
Types
Doctors use several kinds of measurements in looking at your heart disease risk from cholesterol. The most common is total blood cholesterol, counted in milligrams per deciliter of blood. The test is generally done along with a measurement of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), "good" cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, "bad" cholesterol, can also be measured, along with triglycerides. A lipoprotein profile tests for all of the chemicals. You'll be given the same kids of tests for cholesterol no matter the age when you begin testing.
Time Frame
The AHA recommends a fasting lipoprotein profile every five years for people over age 20. But some people, the AHA says, should get tested more frequently. They include: men over age 45, women over 50, people with total cholesterol of 200 milligrams per deciliter or higher, people with HDL lower than 40 milligrams per deciliter and those with additional risk factors for heart disease. Cholesterol is also tested more frequently, perhaps even a few times a year, in people who are trying, under a doctor's orders, to lower their cholesterol through diet or medications. People under age 20 are generally tested only if they have specific risk factors.
Young People
Cholesterol screening is performed in children and adolescents who have an elevated risk of developing heart disease later in life. They're similar to the risk factors for adults, including obesity, family history, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and a high-fat diet. In a young person who is obese, cholesterol testing may be ordered every two years. Children with risk factors should have their first test between ages 2 and 10, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends.
Proper Levels
LDL cholesterol is considered high if it's 160 milligrams per deciliter or higher. When you have too much of it, it can build up and contribute to plaques along the arteries--and eventually a stroke or heart attack. People who already have heart disease may need lower goals for LDL, such as 100 milligrams per deciliter or 70 milligrams per deciliter. HDL, on the other hand, protects against heart disease, according to the AHA, possibly slowing the growth of plaques. If HDL is lower than 40 milligrams per deciliter in men or 50 milligrams per deciliter in women, it's too low.
Tags: milligrams deciliter, heart disease, risk factors, along with, blood cholesterol, cholesterol levels
