This is the checklist I’d want my own family to use: the history, examination findings and blood tests worth covering at a first cardiovascular screening visit — a printable PDF you can tick off and bring to your own doctor.
You’re 40 or olderand you’ve never had a structured look at your heart-disease risk.
Family historya parent or sibling with early heart disease changes what’s worth testing.
Athletes & the data-drivenyou train seriously and want the numbers that matter, beyond a tracker score.
What’s on the checklist
History
- Smoking history
- Alcohol
- Family history
- Past medical history
- BMI & waist circumference
- Blood pressure
- Examination signs (corneal arcus, xanthelasma, xanthoma)
Blood & bedside
- Total cholesterol
- HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol)
- LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol)
- Triglycerides + TG/HDL-C ratio
- Lipoprotein(a)
- ApoB (apolipoprotein B)
- ApoE genotype, where indicated
- Ankle-brachial pressure index
A note
This is a starting list — not a complete screening protocol. The right deeper-dive tests (cardiac imaging, advanced lipid panels, etc.) depend on your individual profile and what these initial results show. Bring the checklist to your own doctor as a conversation starter, not a self-prescription.