Editing Cholesterol (section)

===Testing===
The [[American Heart Association]] recommends testing cholesterol every 4–6 years for people aged 20 years or older.<ref name="urlHow To Get Your Cholesterol Tested">{{cite web |url=http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/SymptomsDiagnosisMonitoringofHighCholesterol/How-To-Get-Your-Cholesterol-Tested_UCM_305595_Article.jsp |title=How To Get Your Cholesterol Tested |publisher=American Heart Association |access-date=2013-07-10}}</ref> A separate set of [[American Heart Association]] guidelines issued in 2013 indicates that people taking [[statin]] medications should have their cholesterol tested 4–12 weeks after their first dose and then every 3–12 months thereafter.<ref name="mayo" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cardiosource.org/News-Media/Publications/Cardiology-Magazine/2013/12/Getting-a-Grasp-of-the-Guidelines.aspx |publisher=American College of Cardiology |vauthors=Stone NJ, Robinson J, Goff DC |year=2013 |title=Getting a grasp of the Guidelines |access-date=2 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707122736/http://www.cardiosource.org/News-Media/Publications/Cardiology-Magazine/2013/12/Getting-a-Grasp-of-the-Guidelines.aspx |archive-date=7 July 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> For men ages 45 to 65 and women ages 55 to 65, a cholesterol test should occur every 1–2 years, and for seniors over age 65, an annual test should be performed.<ref name=mayo/>

A blood sample after 12-hours of [[fasting]] is taken by a [[Health professional|healthcare professional]] from an arm [[vein]] to measure a [[lipid profile]] for a) total cholesterol, b) HDL cholesterol, c) LDL cholesterol, and d) [[triglyceride]]s.<ref name=mlp/><ref name=mayo/> Results may be expressed as "calculated", indicating a calculation of total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides.<ref name=mlp/>

Cholesterol is tested to determine for "normal" or "desirable" levels if a person has a total cholesterol of 5.2&nbsp;mmol/L or less (200&nbsp;mg/dL), an HDL value of more than 1&nbsp;mmol/L (40&nbsp;mg/dL, "the higher, the better"), an LDL value of less than 2.6&nbsp;mmol/L (100&nbsp;mg/dL), and a triglycerides level of less than 1.7&nbsp;mmol/L (150&nbsp;mg/dL).<ref name=mayo/><ref name=mlp/> Blood cholesterol in people with lifestyle, aging, or cardiovascular risk factors, such as [[diabetes mellitus]], [[hypertension]], family history of [[coronary artery disease]], or [[angina]], are evaluated at different levels.<ref name=mayo/>