Should I have my cholesterol tested?

There are several risk factors for heart disease and stroke.  These include obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking history, high blood cholesterol levels, and family history of heart disease and stroke.  High cholesterol can build up in your blood vessels causing narrowing and reduced blood flow.  This can lead to heart disease and stroke.

The U.S. Preventive Task Force recommends that men get a blood cholesterol test at age 35 years and women at age 45 years.  This should be done every five years.  The cholesterol test may be performed at an earlier age or more frequently if you have any of the cardiovascular risk factors mentioned above.  The accuracy of cholesterol tests done at public screenings such as health fairs varies.  It is probably better to discuss this with your provider who can order more reliable testing.

Dr. Matthew Peters