How to Track Cholesterol

One of the leading causes of death in the U.S. is heart disease, according to healthypeople.gov, with stroke being the third-leading cause. High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, and it can be modified. Having a regular lipoprotein profile--the test that tells your cholesterol numbers--provides potentially life-saving information. Using a chart to track your cholesterol levels over the course of several months gives you a clear picture of areas that need work.

Things You'll Need

• Small notebook or printed chart
• Cholesterol test results

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Instructions

How to Track Cholesterol

• 1

  Discuss your cholesterol goals with your physician or other health care provider. According to the American Heart Association, you need to know your ideal total blood cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level, LDL cholesterol level, and triglyceride level.

• 2

  If for any reason you cannot have a health care provider perform the lipoprotein profile, it is still possible to get the information you need to protect your health. At-home cholesterol tests can be purchased and easily performed.

• 3

  Record the results from the first set of cholesterol tests in a column beside of the goals. This gives you a visual representation of where you are and where you need to be.

• 4

  Record the results of each set of follow-up cholesterol tests. Compare them to your original goals, as well as to the previous tests. This will tell you if you are improving, have reached your goal, or if you are worse and need to make other changes.