Knowing your cholesterol levels is an essential part of understanding your own risk for heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that everyone over age 20 get a cholesterol test, known as a lipid profile.
Convenient and inexpensive, the lipid profile reveals important information about the types, amount and distribution of the various types of fats (lipids) in your bloodstream. These tests have been shown to be good indicators of whether you are likely to have a heart attack or stroke caused by blockage of blood vessels or hardening of the arteries.