Do you sometimes think, "I don't know if I have cholesterol"? It's like a silent enemy. It can lurk inside your body without any symptoms, and suddenly pave the way for a serious illness like a heart attack or stroke. So the only way to know for sure if you have cholesterol or not is to get a blood test. But does everyone need to get this test done? How often should you get it done? Let's talk about this in detail.
How often should I get a cholesterol test?
It's actually a bit difficult to give a single answer to this question. Because even the world's major health organizations give different advice on this. So you might have a little problem. Okay, so let's see what these recommendations are.
| Organization | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| American Heart Association (AHA) and CDC | If you have a low risk of heart disease, it's a good idea to get screened every 4-6 years starting at age 20. After age 40, your doctor will calculate your risk of heart attack or stroke for the next 10 years and decide how often you should be screened. |
| National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) | These people also recommend it to children.
|
| US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) | They say it's reasonable to have cholesterol and triglycerides checked at least every 5 years. |
You see, there are slight differences in each recommendation. That's why we say this is a personal decision.
What happens if there are risk factors?
But these timeframes are not the same for everyone. If you have certain factors that increase your risk of heart disease, your doctor may recommend that you get tested earlier and more often . What are these risk factors?
- If anyone in your family (mother, father, siblings) has a history of high cholesterol.
- If anyone in the family has had heart disease at a young age (under 55 for men, under 65 for women).
- If you have diabetes.
- If you have high blood pressure.
- If you are a smoker.
- If there is severe obesity.
Therefore, don't make a decision based on something you see on the internet or hear from a friend. The best and safest thing to do is to see your family doctor, talk about your personal risk factors, and get tested based on his or her advice.
What does the 'Lipid Panel' that the doctor prescribes look for?
If your doctor decides you need a test, he or she will order a blood test called a 'Lipid Panel' . This can provide information about several types of fats in your blood. In simple terms, this is what happens:
| What is being viewed (Component) | Simply put... |
|---|---|
| LDL Cholesterol | This is what we call "bad cholesterol." It builds up in the walls of blood vessels, narrowing them and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. |
| HDL Cholesterol | This is called "good cholesterol" because it removes bad LDL cholesterol from the blood vessels and carries it to the liver. So the more of it, the better. |
| Total Cholesterol | This is the sum of all the cholesterol in your blood, including LDL and HDL. |
| Triglycerides | This is another type of fat found in the blood. The body stores extra calories from the food we eat in this way. Increased levels of this fat also increase the risk of heart disease. |
What do you do when the test report arrives?
Once you receive the report, don't panic or make decisions on your own based on the numbers. Be sure to take it with you and meet with the doctor who is treating you.
Generally, most doctors consider a total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or higher to be a bit high. Especially if the "good" cholesterol (HDL) level within that range is less than 40-60 mg/dL, the risk increases.
But the new idea is that you don't base your decisions on these numbers alone. Your doctor will take into account your age, gender, other medical conditions (such as diabetes and high blood pressure), family history, and whether you smoke, and explain how these numbers affect your overall risk of heart disease. It's possible that your numbers are slightly higher, but you don't have any other risk factors, and that there may be no major problem. Similarly, if your numbers are normal but you have a lot of other risk factors, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes or start you on medication.
Take-Home Message
- High cholesterol is a silent condition with no symptoms, so it's important to get tested.
- How often you should get tested depends on your age, family history, and other risk factors, and is not a one-size-fits-all rule.
- Don't make decisions based on what you read on the internet or what a friend says. Talk to your doctor and follow his advice.
- The best person to understand the numbers in the 'Lipid Panel' report is your doctor. Discuss your overall health with him or her and make the right decisions.
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