Get $200 with your 1st order. Same day blood tests, next day results. Google reviews

Private MD News

Home | News | Heart Health and Cholesterol

Experts argue against childhood cholesterol testing

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Toward the end of last year, federal agencies recommended that all children receive cholesterol testing at some point. The idea behind this recommendation is to spot the small number of young people who will prematurely develop heart disease.

However, a new commentary published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that the recommendation may have unintended consequences.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School wrote that just four years ago, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommended against administering routine cholesterol tests to children. There seems to have been little new evidence emerge since this recommendation that would warrant a change to guidelines.

However, the team wrote that this did not stop the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute from advising doctors to administer cholesterol tests to children. This can be a problem, as many children will likely be labeled as having high cholesterol even if their levels are borderline. This may lead to undue anxiety among the child and his or her parents. 

Ultimately, parents should talk to their child's pediatrician about whether or not cholesterol testing would be appropriate.

Related Articles from Private MD:

News Categories:

Advanced Lipid Treatment I   Allergy Testing   Anemia and RBC disorders   Autoimmune Diseases   Bariatric Lab Testing   Blood and Blood Diseases   Breast   Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers   Celiac Disease Testing   Chlamydia   Coagulation and blood clotting disorders   Colon   DNA, Paternity and Genetic testing   Diabetes   Drug Screening   Environmental Toxin Testing   Female Specific Tests   Gastrointestinal Diseases   General Health   General Wellness   HIV   HIV monitoring/Treatment/Testing/Post Diagnos   Heart Health and Cholesterol   Herpes   Hormones and Metabolism   Infectious Diseases   Infertility Testing-Male   Infertitlity Hormone Testing   Kidney Diseases   Leukemia and WBC disorders   Liver   Liver Diseases   Lyme Disease   Male Specific Tests   Menopause/Peri-Menopausal Diagnosis   Musculoskeletal Diseases   Nicotine Screening   Organ Specific Testing   Ovarian   Prostate   Prostate   Sexually Transmitted Diseases   Thyroid Diseases   Transgender Hormone Testing-Male to Female   Transgender Hormone Testing-female to male   Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment   

Visit the Health News Archive: Click Here

Questions about online blood testing or how to order a lab test?

Speak with our Wellness Team: (877) 283-7882
Back to top