<br/>Patients may not need to fast before having their cholesterol tested. A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says, after analysing data from 300,000 people, Cambridge researchers found results were just as accurate if the patient had eaten before the test. For decades patients have been told to fast for 12 hours prior to a test. Cholesterol tests have long been a key part of assessing a patient's risk of cardiovascular problems, and those who turned up having eaten breakfast were required to make a fresh appointment.