This test is appropriate for individuals who have certain health conditions or markers that indicate a high risk for atherosclerosis. These include people who have:
• A personal history of heart disease or stroke before 55 in men and 65 in women
• Female family members who had a heart attack or stroke before age 65
• Male family members who had a heart attack or stroke before age 55
• High LDL cholesterol, even though you take medicine to lower it
• Heart or blood vessel disease (especially if your cholesterol and triglyceride levels are normal without taking medicine to lower them)
• Familial hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) 4
• A personal history of multiple heart attacks and/or procedures to open up blocked arteries5
The National Lipid Association published a clinical guideline in 2022 to recommend who should be tested. You can share this publication with your provider when discussing your results.