What should I do now?
Call 911
Call 911 for possible heart attack or stroke symptoms: chest pressure, severe trouble breathing, face drooping, arm weakness, or trouble speaking. Do not drive yourself.
Contact your care team
Contact your care team for side effects, cost barriers, or difficulty taking medicine. Severe muscle weakness or dark urine needs prompt assessment.
Keep your care plan
Keep your treatment and follow-up plan. Bring questions, readings, and your medication list.
SECTION 6
Your next steps
Know your LDL goal, why treatment is recommended, and when your next blood test is due.
Bring to your appointment
- Recent cholesterol results.
- An updated medication and supplement list.
- Notes about side effects or missed doses.
- Your family history of high cholesterol and early heart disease.
Questions to ask
- What is my LDL goal?
- What is my risk of heart attack or stroke?
- Do I need medication, and what benefit should I expect?
- Should I have an Lp(a) or apoB test?
- Would a coronary calcium scan help guide my care?
- Could my cholesterol problem be inherited?
- Which side effects should I report?
- When should my blood tests be repeated?
Understand the follow-up plan
After starting or changing treatment, cholesterol is commonly rechecked within approximately one to three months. Later testing depends on your results and care plan.
The goal is sustained protection of your arteries—not simply a better number on one blood test.
Updated October 2026. Educational information; your own care plan may differ. Medical illustrations are simplified examples for teaching.