From Jennifer Moll,
Your Guide to Cholesterol.
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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Rich Fogoros, MD

Getting your cholesterol tested is probably one of the easier examinations to have performed. When you go to your health care practitioner, you may request that they perform a cholesterol profile on you, or they might routinely do it anyway. This typically depends on your age and whether or not you have a history of high cholesterol or heart disease in your family. They will draw blood from your arm or finger (usually the arm) and analyze the blood for the following things:

•total cholesterol levels
•low density lipoprotein
•high density lipoprotein
•triglyceride levels

Once blood has been drawn, it will be sent to a laboratory where your cholesterol profile will be returned to your health care practitioner within one to three days. Depending on your results, your health care practitioner may request a follow-up visit to discuss diet and lifestyle changes, or he or she may place you on a cholesterol-lowering drug.