The following tests are representative of the specialized lab testing performed through Cleveland Heart Labs in conjunction with The Healthy Heart Program©.
Inflammation panel
- Myeloperoxidase (MPO) – is a measurement of your body’s response to damaged artery walls that have become thin, cracked, and ultimately unstable due to cholesterol accumulation and inflammation. Presence of MPO is linked to increased risk of impending heart attack or stroke
- Lp-Pla2 – presence of Lp-Pla2 represents actively growing plaque in the blood vessel wall that is at risk for rupturing and developing a heart attack or stroke. It is a sign of significant inflammation surrounding plaque.
- hs-CRP – elevated levels have been linked to chronic inflammation in the blood vessel wall
- Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) – oxidized LDL is damaged LDL, and it is one of the first steps in plaque build-up
- F2-isoprostane – is a ‘lifestyle marker’ that measures the amount of oxidation in your body that may damage your blood vessel (endothelial) lining
- ADMA/SDMA are markers of endothelial damage and represent loss of nitric oxide, a molecule that can protect the endothelium.
- Urine microalbumin – small amounts of protein, called albumin, in the urine, are associated with a 3x increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Lipids
- NMR Lipoprofile – versus a traditional lipid panel, the NMR lipoprofile more specifically evaluates the number of atherogenic cholesterol particles, the size of these particles and the inherent risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
- ApoB – may be a more direct measurement of the total body burden of “bad” cholesterol than LDL alone
- Sd-LDL – small dense LDL is more easily oxidized, has a higher affinity for vessel walls, and remains in the circulation longer because it is less likely to be cleared by the liver, making it more atherogenic than larger LDL particles
- Lp(a) – is a genetically determined cholesterol-rich LDL particle that is not affected by changes in lifestyle and can increase atherosclerotic plaquing
Other related cardiovascular testing
- Galectin – is a marker of heart damage on a microscopic level mediator of cardiac fibrosis and adverse cardiac remodeling, whereas natriuretic peptides such as NT-proBNP or BNP identify myocardial stretch.
- NT-pro BNP – reveals early signs of excessive stretching of heart cells and is linked to the development of congestive heart failure.
- Coenzyme Q10 – Is crucial of muscle energy production, and is affected by use of statin drugs. Lack of healthy CoQ10 levels may be caused by insufficient dietary intake, impairment of CoQ10 biosynthesis, poor gastrointestinal absorption, and/or excessive utilization of CoQ10 by the body.
- OmegaCheck measures the balance of omega fats in your diet and helps us guide treatment with these beneficial fats.
- AspirinWorks– a urine test which allows us to monitor effectiveness of aspirin usage for cardiovascular prevention.
- ApoE – is a protein that carries lipids and cholesterol in the blood back to the liver for processing. Defects in this gene prevent normal cholesterol metabolism and may lead to increased risk for cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease
- 9p21 – also known as “the heart attack gene”, 9p21 increases risk for cardiovascular disease up to two fold in those who carry it by causing instability to the blood vessel wall. Knowing your risk with the gene can help you determine how aggressive your treatment approach should be.
- Adiponectin – adiponectin modulates glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, and lipid breakdown, as well as helping proper endothelial
functioning and has multiple anti-inflammatory properties. Individuals with low adiponectin levels have a 3X greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome.