Poor diet and lifestyle choices can lead to higher levels of fat in the blood than is healthy. When too much fat circulates through the blood, it can keep several organs from operating well and lead to serious health problems, such as cardiovascular disease. About 23 percent of Canadians have abnormal levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, an unhealthy type of fat. In Ontario, patients with low and medium levels of risk for too much fat in their blood do not get tested as often as the Canadian Cardiovascular Society recommends.
Health Quality Ontario Reviews Frequency of Testing Blood for Fat Levels
It is not known how often blood needs to be tested to catch abnormal fat levels. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society currently recommends people at low to high risk of cardiovascular disease should be tested every year and people with very low risk should be tested every four to five years.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care endorses this recommendation.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has provided the following response: The Ministry agrees with this recommendation and encourages health care professionals to consider using the current Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines.