Hi, thank you for your question. A cholesterol test gives you 4 measurements: total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. They are measured in mmol/L (millimoles per litre of blood). Normal level for 4 measurements are:

o Total Cholesterol: < 5.2 mmol/L
o HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol): > 1.0 mmol/L
o LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol): < 2.6 mmol/L
o Triglycerides: < 1.7 mmol/L

There are many opinions as to when someone should start getting their cholesterol level checked. For normal adults aged 20 and above with no risk factors or symptoms, they should have their cholesterol level checked once every 5 years. However, you may need to do more frequent checks according to your doctor’s advice if you have certain risk factors.

Risk factors for high cholesterol includes diabetes (increases your “bad cholesterol” and reduces you “good cholesterol”), high blood pressure, family history of high cholesterol / heart disease / stroke, smoking (in the past / currently still smoking / having exposure to secondhand smoke on a regular basis), obesity (body mass index ≥ 25), unhealthy eating habits with high fat / high sodium diet, lack of exercise and older age.

People with previous cholesterol tests that show high level of cholesterol or heart disease should do a cholesterol test once every 1 to 2 years. For those taking medications specifically to lower their cholesterol levels, they should have their cholesterol levels checked every 6 weeks until targeted cholesterol levels are met. Subsequently, they should do a test every 4 to 6 months.

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