After menopause, a woman's LDL level tends to go up, and her HDL level goes down. Also, her risk of heart disease continues to rise with age. After menopause , women tend to have higher LDL levels than do men of the same age. Adults 20 years or over should be tested every five years for cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. Some factors that affect cholesterol cannot be controlled.
High cholesterol can run in families, for example, due to genetic factors.
Many cases of high cholesterol can be prevented by choosing a healthy lifestyle. A blood cholesterol test is used to diagnose high cholesterol. This test measures total cholesterol , LDL , HDL , and the triglycerides. People with CAD and CAD risk equivalents have the strictest LDL guidelines. The person's risk of developing CAD within 10 years is based on data from the Framingham heart study.