Do you have high cholesterol?

Your cholesterol test

Everyone of age 20 or older should have a blood test known as a "fasting lipid profile" at least once every 5 years. This test will measure your:

• Total cholesterol
• LDL-C (bad) cholesterol
• HDL-C (good) cholesterol
• Triglycerides

A lipid profile is done after a 9- to 12-hour fast, so it's usually best to have it first thing in the morning.  If you aren't able to fast before your cholesterol test, your doctor should only use the total cholesterol and HDL-C cholesterol numbers.

After you take your blood test, your doctor will discuss the results with you. The numbers the test gives you will help you and your doctor decide what steps, if any, you need to take. Make sure to write down your cholesterol numbers before you leave the doctor's office.

What your numbers mean

Blood cholesterol is measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L).  Results of a blood test will give you your LDL-C, HDL-C, Total Cholesterol and Triglycerides readings.

• LDL-C and Triglycerides can increase the risk of heart disease, so the lower number, the better.
• HDL-C can protect against heart disease so the higher the number, the better.

The Joint Task Force of European and other Societies on Coronary prevention sets guidelines for Total cholesterol, LDL-C (bad) cholesterol, HDL-C (good) cholesterol, and Triglycerides. These guidelines put cholesterol numbers in different heart disease risk categories, ranging from normal to very high. While this gives you an idea of where your numbers fall, remember that the same numbers can mean different things for different people. Your risk from high cholesterol is a combination of many factors. Your doctor will look at your numbers and decide on an LDL-C cholesterol goal for you. Always ask what your cholesterol numbers mean, based on your complete health history. (Please click on the interactive tutorial button on the left hand menu for further details)