I have chronic elevated cholesterol and my former cardiologist was the inventor of the calcium score. (Dr. Arthur Agosten. Who also has written several reassuring books on heart health issues.)

Be sure that you get a comprehensive lipid analysis that includes molecule size and risk profile. Despite elevated cholesterol, a genetic marker for heart disease, a family of members who died young from heart disease and an inability to tolerate any statins yet on the market, I have low-ish risk of cardiac events because my body makes a healthy amount of the fluffy, non-sticky, large cholesterol molecules. My most-recent calcium score was 4 on a test done 5 years ago.

My point is that there are multiple variables involved in heart health (as Dr. Agotsten used to explain to me) and we can impact a lot of them. I once met a patient in his waiting room who was in his 90s and still playing tennis a few times a week. This man had his 'first heart attack' as he referred to it in his 30s. And another 20+ years later. And was alive and vital nearly 40 years later.

Cardiac medicine is one area where real progress has been made. And one where the body has tools for self-adjusting and healing with excellent doctors guiding the process.