Get Tested
Health experts generally recommend testing for cholesterol and triglycerides in healthy people starting at about age 40.
If family members have had heart attacks in their 50s, Guarneri suggests testing at age 30 and continuing to get tested at your annual checkups.
Desirable: <100 mg/dL
Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL
High: >160 mg/dL
Very high: > or equal to 190 mg/dL
Desirable: >40 mg/dL, or > or equal to 60 mg/dL
Low: <40 mg/dL
The lower your LDLs and triglycerides and the higher your HDLs, the lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. (HDL of 60 or higher gives some protection against heart disease.) According to guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), this is what the test results mean for people age 20 and above:
Total Cholesterol:
Desirable: <200 mg/dL
Borderline high: 200-239 mg/dL
High: > or equal to 240 mg/dL
LDL Cholesterol:
Desirable: <100 mg/dL
Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL
High: >160 mg/dL
Very high: > or equal to 190 mg/dL
HDL Cholesterol:
Desirable: >40 mg/dL, or > or equal to 60 mg/dL
Low: <40 mg/dL
Trigylcerides:
Desirable: <150 mg/dL
Borderline high: 150-199 mg/dL
High: 200-499 mg/dL
Very high: > or equal to 500 mg/dL
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