Lipid Screening Criteria
Not everyone needs to be tested for high cholesterol. The new Canadian guidelines for treatment and management of lipids recommend that some individuals should automatically have their cholesterol levels checked.
If any of the following apply to you, talk to your doctor about having your cholesterol tested:
| You are a post-menopausal woman and/or you are over the age of 50. | |
| You are a man over the age of 40. | |
| You have cardiovascular disease. (You have angina or have had a heart attack, coronary bypass surgery, a stroke, angioplasty, atherosclerosis or peripheral vascular disease). | |
| You have diabetes | |
| You have high blood pressure | |
| You have a first-degree relative (i.e. mother, father, sister or brother) with heart disease or high cholesterol. |
Also talk to your doctor about having your cholesterol tested if you have any of the following:
| You are overweight. You can determine if you are “overweight” by calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI), or by measuring the fat around the waist (abdominal obesity). The waist circumference should be less than 102 cm for most men (90 cm if you are South Asian or Chinese), and less than 88 cm for most women (80 cm if you are South Asian or Chinese). | |
| You are NOT physically active: You perform less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. | |
| You smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke. | |
| You drink alcohol excessively. Moderate alcohol use - up to two drinks per day for men (up to a maximum of 14 drinks per week) and one drink per day for women (up to a maximum of 9 drinks per week) and older people is not harmful for most adults. (A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits). These guidelines may not apply if you have certain existing medical conditions. If you are unsure, check with your doctor. |
If you have checked any of the risk factors, Print and take this information to your doctor.
- Print Screening Criteria Test
- Register for a Personalized Action Plan to help you manage your cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk factors
Do not be discouraged if you checked off any of the boxes. Some of these risks are within your control. These are known as “modifiable” risk factors for cardiovascular disease, because you can control them through lifestyle change or medical treatment.
Risk Factors you can do something about:
- High blood cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Excessive drinking
- Overweight (in some cases)
Risk Factors you can't control:
- Age
- Gender
- Family history of cardiovascular disease
- Ethnicity
More than one of these risk factors may apply to you. Consult with your doctor to develop a plan that will help you minimize your risk factors, or register for a Personalized Action Plan to help you manage your cardiovascular risk factors.
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