Cholesterol Levels, How Often Should They Be Checked? - Dr. Lyle

Dr. Lyle:
As an adult you should be tested once a year. It’s important to know exactly what your levels are and they can fluctuate on a yearly basis. Your primary care physician may not order them and you should not assume that they are ordered when you have what I believe to be routine blood tests when you go in for an annual physical exam. You should be certain that your physician has ordered it.

You should also be certain that if when you go to get your cholesterol test done that your fasting, meaning that you have had nothing to eat or drink for about eight hours prior to the test.

Why you should fast is it’s very important for your triglyceride level to be as low as possible and that can be altered by your diet. So, avoiding food eight hours prior to the test will allow us to see what your baseline triglyceride level is without being impacted by recent consumption of food.

Good cholesterol again is what we call the HDL – high density lipoprotein. High density lipoprotein is often lower in men than women and this often is related to hormone levels and is also the most difficult level to move as far as being able to modify, although it is possible to elevate your HDL level.

Your bad cholesterol is what we call your LDL cholesterol or your low density lipoprotein. The low density lipoprotein, in particular, is responsible for the development of coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis and it is important to lower this level in people that have risks for coronary disease.

About Dr. Brian Lyle, M.D.:
Brian Lyle, M.D., obtained his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston University and graduated from the MCP Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After medical school he completed an internal medicine residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. and a cardiology fellowship at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn. where he was the chief cardiology fellow. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine and nuclear medicine.

To Schedule Your Heart Health Check, Click Here

For More Information On Heart Care Services, Click Here

More on This

How Many Medications Do You Take? Do You Need Them All?

Is Higher HDL Cholesterol Really Better?

Does Your Heart Health Need a Checkup?

National Garlic Day: Celebrate the Stinking Rose

Tags:

• High Cholesterol