When to Have a Cholesterol Test

When to Have a Cholesterol Test
Some health organizations recommend that everyone older than 20 be checked for high cholesterol.7 Other organizations recommend cholesterol tests based on age and risk factors for heart disease.1
Talk to your doctor about when a cholesterol test is right for you.

Most experts agree that the following people should have their cholesterol checked:
Anyone who has strong risk factors for heart disease
People who have a family history of early coronary artery disease
Men ages 35 to 65
Women ages 45 to 65

How often should adults get tested?
How often you should get a cholesterol test depends on whether you have other health problems and your overall chance of heart disease.
An adult who has coronary artery disease should have a cholesterol test at least once a year.
An adult who is being treated for high cholesterol may need more frequent tests, depending on his or her cholesterol level and the type of treatment being used.
Most adults who have diabetes should be tested at least once a year.2

When should children get tested?
Your child's doctor may suggest a cholesterol test for your child or teen based on your child's age, a physical exam, or family history.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force does not recommend for or against routine cholesterol screening, based on a review of the research.3 But the American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggest that children and teens have their cholesterol levels tested if they have a family history of early coronary artery disease or have other risk factors.4, 5
The AAP suggests that a child's risk of high cholesterol, based on a physical exam and family history, be checked at ages 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years, and then every year through age 21. The AAP also suggests that a cholesterol screening test be done between the ages of 18 and 21.6

Should I get a public cholesterol test?
Public cholesterol testing can be convenient and helpful. But most doctors will want to verify public test results. Because the doctor can evaluate risk factors and provide counseling, having your cholesterol level checked during a doctor visit is the preferred method.
The reliability of public cholesterol tests at health fairs, malls, drugstores, and other sites depends on many factors, including:
What kind of blood sample is used (finger stick or a sample drawn from a vein).
What type of equipment is used.
Whether the equipment is used properly.
How well the technicians have been trained.
You may wish to ask the technicians how much training they have had and how your blood sample will be handled.