Consult your physician regarding the timeliness of this test. High blood cholesterol is a significant risk factor in heart disease. Lowering blood cholesterol through increased physical activity, weight loss, smoking cessation, and proper diet lowers that risk. However, blood cholesterol is very specific to each individual and, for that reason, a full lipid profile is an important part of your medical history and important information for your physician to have. More than 25 percent of the adult U.S. population has blood cholesterol levels greater than 240, which is considered high risk.
Triglycerides are another class of fat found in the bloodstream.
The bulk of your body's fat tissue is in the form of triglycerides. However, many people with high triglycerides also have other risk factors such as high LDL levels or low HDL levels. Elevated triglyceride levels may be caused by medical conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, or liver disease. Dietary causes of elevated triglyceride levels may include obesity and high intakes of fat, alcohol, and concentrated sweets. A healthy triglyceride level is less than 150 mg.