A complete cholesterol test is normally called a lipid panel or a lipid profile test. It measures the amount of good and bad cholesterol along with the levels of triglycerides, which is a type of fat in your blood. High levels of cholesterol can lead to heart attack or stroke. So, one of the biggest benefits of getting a heart test or a cholesterol test done is that you know if you need to take precautions to avoid things from getting worse. Changing your lifestyle to bring down the levels of cholesterol is much better than being rushed into the emergency.