High Cholesterol - what does it mean?

With cholesterol testing at health fairs and drug stores, and with a breakdown of fat and cholesterol counts on all the packaged food we eat, you are probably well aware of the relationship between high cholesterol and heart disease. Yet, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States; and you may not always eat the healthy, low-cholesterol diet that you should.

Because of the important relationship between high cholesterol and heart disease, all adults over the age of 20 years should have a fasting lipoprotein profile [a complete cholesterol profile--includes measuring total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein(LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)] checked at least every 5 years. This should occur more often if a family history of coronary heart disease exists. Most children do not need to have their blood cholesterol level checked.