Your doctor will tell you when to have your cholesterol levels checked, but the American Heart Association recommends that you do it every five years.³ The report sent to your doctor will express your cholesterol levels as milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood, which is abbreviated “mg/dl.” 

Here’s a rundown of how doctors evaluate those scores, according to the American Heart Association.³

• If your total cholesterol score falls within the range of 200-239 mg/dl, that’s considered “borderline-high” risk for developing heart disease. Now, even if that  doesn’t sound bad to you, don’t do your victory dance just yet. Your doctor still needs to weigh that score against your scores for other blood fats (triglycerides and LDL, for instance) as well as other lifestyle factors (like whether you smoke) to determine your overall risk for developing heart disease.³
   
• If you have a total cholesterol score of 240 mg/dl or higher, you are at high risk for heart disease, and it’s time for you and your doctor get serious about designing a program that will include heart-healthy eating, physical activity, and smoking cessation if you have a tobacco habit.  Your doctor might order tests to get more data about the fat levels in your blood.³

Related Articles:

Cholesterol: The Heart of the Matter
Lower Your Cholesterol

Sources:

• http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/lifestyle.html
• http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/exercises-to-control-your-cholesterol
• http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=183