When do people have to check cholesterol?

High cholesterol usually has no symptoms and had known when it was experiencing complications. So when should someone check cholesterol levels?

High cholesterol is a serious condition that should not be ignored and can only be known through laboratory blood test or a cholesterol test equipment. This test is to see the profile of lipid.

But sometimes people confuse when to check cholesterol levels. But there are some things that could be a clue someone should have your cholesterol checked, as quoted from the LIVESTRONG, Monday (03/28/2011), namely:

Age
One of the guidelines issued by the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that people who are already aged 20 years to check their cholesterol levels and then repeated every 5 years.

But for men who are aged over 45 years and women above 50 years should be checked for cholesterol levels every year. This is because the risk of heart disease or other blood vessels is increased age.

Risk factors
If you have one or more risk factors for heart disease then one must check cholesterol levels. These risk factors include a family history of heart disease, obesity, unhealthy lifestyles and smoking.

But for people who already have certain health conditions previously as high blood pressure or diabetes that can be a risk factor for heart disease, should begin to routinely check cholesterol levels.

Having offspring hypercholesterolemia (familial hypercholesterolemia)
This genetic condition causes high cholesterol levels are hereditary in the family. This puts a person at high risk of heart attack early.

Although high cholesterol does not cause symptoms, but familial hypercholesterolemia may show signs such as cholesterol deposits in the form of white lines on the skin around the eyes. In addition, this condition can be detected through a cholesterol test or genetic test.

If you are currently doing treatments for high cholesterol or heart disease, the cholesterol test can monitor conditions and provide guidance in providing the necessary treatment. How often someone checks cholesterol varied according to health status owned.