Heart Smart By the Numbers :

Do you know your cholesterol numbers? You may have been standing around the water cooler at the office, and heard people talking about theirs. "Mine is 101, what's yours?" "It was over 250, but now I have it under 200." What can they be talking about?

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The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's National Cholesterol Education Program says knowing your numbers is important, especially as you age, and especially if you have risk factors for heart disease. High blood cholesterol is one of the greatest risk factors for getting heart disease. Each year, more than a million Americans have heart attacks and half a million die from heart disease. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women.Heart attacks happen when excess blood cholesterol builds up in your artery walls, causing a "hardening of the arteries," creating narrowed vessels that slow blood flow -- or block it.

Everyone age 20 and older should have their blood cholesterol measured at least once every five years with a blood test called a "lipoprotein profile." This blood test is done after a nine- to 12-hour fast and gives information about your total cholesterol, your LDL (bad) cholesterol, your HDL (good) cholesterol, and your triglycerides, or fats circulating in your bloodstream.

Discuss your cholesterol and overall risk of heart disease and stroke with your doctor. Laboratory tests are not always appropriate; it depends on your age, lifestyle and personal and family history. If you smoke, if you're overweight, if you have a family or personal history of heart disease and/or diabetes, your risk increases.

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Total cholesterol is the sum of all the cholesterol in your blood. The higher your total cholesterol, the greater your risk for heart disease. Here are the total values that matter to you. Note: These categories apply to adults aged 20 and older.

• Desirable: Less than 200 mg/dL
  In this range, your heart-attack or stroke risk is relatively low, unless you have other risk factors. Almost half of adults have total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL. Have your cholesterol levels measured every five years -- or more often if you're a man over 45 or a woman over 55.

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