by 
The Curious Bag
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A cholesterol screening measures the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL) present in your blood. These numbers give your doctor a snapshot of your cardiovascular risk for disease and overall health.
Significance
According to LabTestsOnline.org, doctors use cholesterol screening values to predict the likelihood of heart disease and develop a treatment plan to keep cholesterol levels healthy.
Procedure
A technician draws a blood sample from your arm for cholesterol analysis after you have fasted for a period of nine to 12 hours. Your doctor will interpret the lab report and let you know the results of the screening.
Results
According to LabTestOnline.org, total cholesterol readings under 200 mg/dL are considered good while people with readings over 240 mg/dL are considered high risk.
Frequency
According to the American Heart Association, you should get a cholesterol screenings every five years. Age, other risk factors and previous cholesterol screening results may determine if your doctor recommends screenings more often.
Considerations
According to LabTestsOnline.org, sick or pregnant patients should wait to get a cholesterol screening because testing samples may not reflect true cholesterol levels.
Source:
American Heart Association: How To Get Your Cholesterol Tested
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