Checking Levels
When Should You Check Your Cholesterol? Know Your Risk.
If you’re a man age 35 or older or a woman age 45 or older, it’s time to start having your cholesterol checked regularly. Why? Because cholesterol levels—and the plaque they can create—often creep up silently, long before symptoms appear.
Depending on your numbers and your other risk factors for heart disease, your healthcare provider may recommend testing more often than every 5 years.
For people with existing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or other risks, annual testing may be appropriate.
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Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Certain factors raise your chances of developing heart disease or experiencing a heart attack. Understanding these can help you and your doctor decide how closely to monitor your cholesterol and overall cardiovascular health.
✅ Personal History
- Already had a heart attack or stroke
✅ Age & Sex
- Men 45 years and older
- Women 55 years and older (or younger if postmenopausal)
✅ Family History
- Father or brother diagnosed with heart disease before age 55
- Mother or sister diagnosed with heart disease before age 65
✅ Lifestyle Factors
- Smoking cigarettes
- Physical inactivity
- Being very overweight or obese (especially central/abdominal obesity)
✅ Health Conditions
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
- High triglycerides
Why This Matters
These risk factors don’t exist in isolation—they work together to determine your overall cardiovascular risk. For example, a woman who is postmenopausal and has high blood pressure plus a family history may need her cholesterol checked every 1–2 years, even if her last result was “normal.”
your numbers don’t tell the whole story. It’s about understanding the full picture—cholesterol levels, lifestyle, genetics, and inflammatory markers—to build a tailored plan for prevention.
Cholesterol Testing Schedule: By Age & Risk Level
I have a family history of high cholesterol and heart attacks. Most are overweight, physically inactive, and eat an unhealthy diet. I think they should all undergo treatment for high cholesterol and have regular cholesterol testing to monitor the effectiveness of their treatments.
My mom died of heart disease when she was 53. I have a brother that died of heart disease when he was 40. Every one in our family is overweight. I have been trying to exercise more and I have adjusted my diet. I am now down to just under 200 lbs. I am hoping that I can break the cycle.
I am 35 and I have been told that I have high HDL. I quite smoking and I am trying to eat more healthy meals. I think that I really need to exercise more.