Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States. Undesirable levels of cholesterol, a fatty substance in the blood, raise your risk of stroke and heart attack. Baseline in your 20s. If values are within desirable ranges, every 5 years. Below 200 200-400 Above 400 Levels given in milligrams per deciliter.
Levels are for people without known cardiovascular disease.
If you have established cardiovascular disease or multiple risk factors, your physician may have different guidelines for you. Your doctor inserts a speculum into your vagina. Then using a small wooden spatula, brush or cotton swabs, your doctor gently removes cells from your cervix. The procedure generally takes only a few minutes. Your doctor places the cells on a glass slide and sends them to a laboratory for miscroscopic examination.