A scary cholesterol test foreshadowed Mark Miller's two heart attacks. He has since lost weight and is now on cholesterol-lowering medication.
(MARK MILLER)
The American Heart Association recommends that all adults 20 and older have a cholesterol test every five years. Men 45 and older, women 50 and older, and people with risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol, should be tested more often, perhaps every one or two years. Your doctor will suggest the best schedule for you.
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Your blood contains at least three different types of cholesterol that can shape your risk for heart trouble. "No one looks at total cholesterol anymore; we look at good and bad," says Leslie Cho, MD, the director of preventive cardiology and rehabilitation at the Cleveland Clinic. "The level we get concerned about depends on the patient's other risk factors." Other risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, being overweight, and depression.





Last Updated:
September 13, 2007