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Cholesterol plays a big role in your health. A high LDL-C level, along with other factors, can put you at risk of serious cardiovascular events. If you have cardiovascular disease and are considered to be at very high risk for a heart attack or stroke due to your medical history or lifestyle factors, the American College of Cardiology recommends an LDL-C level of less than 55 mg/dL.
Lifestyle changes like diet and exercise
Statin medications may be prescribed
Nonstatin prescription medications may be added
Some people still have high LDL-C levels after making lifestyle changes and taking a statin. Adding other prescription medication(s) to statins can help lower LDL-C even further.
Talk to your doctor about whether these medications may be right for you.
Only a blood test can show if your LDL-C is high or within a recommended level. Everyone’s recommended level is based on their medical history and certain risk factors. Get tested and talk to your doctor about what your recommended level should be, and how to get there.
Here are some general guidelines for how often LDL-C should be tested. Always talk to your doctor about what frequency might be right for your situation.
| In 4-12 weeks | Every 3-12 months | Every 4-6 years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am at least 20 years old with an ideal range of LDL-C levels and I am not on cholesterol-lowering medication | |||
| I’m on a cholesterol-lowering medication and my doctor has made no changes to my treatment plan | |||
| I’ve recently started a new cholesterol-lowering medication | |||
| My doctor has recently made changes to my cholesterol-lowering medications |