Cholesterol assists in building cells and producing hormones in the body. It travels in our body through blood attached to a protein. Cholesterol and triglyceride tests determine the quantity of these fatty substances in our blood.

Total cholesterol refers to the entire amount of cholesterol present in a person's blood. The total cholesterol consists of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or good cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or bad cholesterol. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) as well as in millimoles per liter of blood (mmol/L).

Total cholesterol test is required for a routine checkup to determine any lipid disorder. It also monitors the effectiveness of medicines used for treating lipid disorder and calculates the probability of heart strokes. A regular total cholesterol testing helps to diagnose the problems related to cholesterol production, usage, and removal from the body.

The total cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dL is normal, 200 to 239 mg/dL is on the higher borderline, and 240 mg/dL is high. The normal cholesterol level indicates low risk of heart disease, whereas the borderline high cholesterol indicates a moderate risk. In this case, a lipid profile test is recommended to judge whether the higher cholesterol is good or bad cholesterol. A high cholesterol indictes a great risk, and calls for an appropriate treatment.

It is important for a person to be healthy at the time of test because during acute illness the cholesterol level may go down. The reason for low cholesterol in body is acute illness, malnutrition, and liver diseases. The level of cholesterol increases in the blood of a pregnant woman. It is important to undergo the total cholesterol test on a regular basis to protect yourself from a heart diseases or a heart attack.