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Blood Tests

The following are the Lab Tests that are usually ordered on the patient’s first visit:

Apolipoprotein B
-Apo B is the lipoprotein that carries all the bad lipid particles (LDL, VLDL, Lp (a), IDL) in the blood. It is also a very good surrogate for LDL-P, or LDL (bad cholesterol) particle number.

Apolipoprotein E Genotype (thru Berkeley HeartLabs or Mayo)
- Apo E was initially recognized for its importance in lipoprotein metabolism and cardiovascular disease. More recently, it has been studied for its role in several biological processes not directly related to lipoprotein transport, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), immunoregulation, and cognition.

Aspirin Resistance
-About twenty seven percent of the population is aspirin resistant. For them, the standard 162 mg daily dose will not help.

C-CRP
-Cardio-C Reactive Protein is a non-specific acute-phase protein produced by the liver in response to tissue injury, infection, and inflammation. It is used to assess relative risk of cardiovascular disease

CBC (incl diff / plt)
-Complete Blood Count, used mainly to help determine the general health status of the patient.

CPK, total
-Measures creatine phosphokinase, an enzyme found mainly in the heart, brain and skeletal muscle. This test may be used to diagnose heart attack, evaluate cause of chest pain, detect early dermatomyositis and polymyositis and more. It is also used to ensure some medicines are not damaging the muscles.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel w/EGFR
-Measures your sugar (glucose) level, electrolyte and fluid balance, kidney function, and liver function. Your doctor may order a comprehensive metabolic panel as part of a regular health examination. Your doctor may use this test to check on a medical condition, such as high blood pressure, or to help diagnose a medical condition, such as diabetes.

Fibrinogen
-Fibrinogen is a protein produced in the liver that helps stop bleeding by forming blood clots. This is an important test because many heart attacks and strokes are caused by blood clots in the arteries. Heart Attack Prevention Strategies uses it as a marker of arterial inflammation.

Ferritin
-Measures the amount of iron in your blood, which is important for red blood cell production. Increased Ferritin is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

FSH and LH
-Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) check for certain reproductive or pituitary disorders.

GGTP
-The GGTP is an enzyme or protein made by cells lining the bile duct. It is very sensitive to any inflammation in the liver and it can go up due to a large variety of conditions. We use it as a marker of inflammation.

Glucose Tolerance Test, 2 hr, 2 specimens (75 grams glucose)
-The glucose tolerance test is a laboratory method to check how the body breaks down (metabolizes) blood sugar. This is a great test to check for diabetes and pre-diabetes, which are huge risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

Hemoglobin A1C
-Measures the amount of glycosylated hemoglobin in your blood, which translates into having more glucose in your blood. Usually ordered to see how diabetes is being managed, higher HbA1c values mean higher risk of developing other problems such as eye disease, kidney disease and heart disease.

H. Pylori AB, IGG
-Helicobacter Pylori is the bacteria which causes 80% of stomach ulcers. It is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and lower HDL.

Insulin Response to Glucose, 2 specimens, 2 hr (75 grams glucose)
-Tests insulin resistance, which is a huge precursor to diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

LP-PLA2
-The Lp-PLAC2 test is the best marker of arterial inflammation that we now have, and it is specific to cardiovascular disease. It measures lipoprotein- associate phospholipase A2, which is an enzyme that directly promotes vascular inflammation leading to the formation of vulnerable, rupture-prone plaque. It is a strong predictor of heart attacks and strokes.

Magnesium
-Magnesium is involved in many metabolic functions, synthesis of protein and the functioning of certain enzymes in the body. We use magnesium to fight insulin resistance.

Microalbumin / Creatinine ratio, random urine
-Measurement of albumin levels in urine below the detection level of urine dipsticks. This test is useful in the management of patients with relatively early diabetes mellitus to assist in avoiding or delaying the onset of diabetic renal disease. We also use it as a sensitive measure of arterial inflammation.

Pro BNP-n terminal
-Pro-B-Type Natriuetic Peptide N-Terminal is a test used in emergency departments to help diagnose congestive heart failure. We use even very small elevators in Pro BNP-n terminal to stratify cardiovascular risk.

PSA, Total (males over 40)
-Prostate-specific antigen is a protein with a sugar molecule attached that is found in prostate cells. Mainly used to screen for prostate cancer.

Testosterone, Total
-Measures the amount of the male hormone in the blood. Insulin Resistance can damage testicular cells leading to low testosterone levels, one of the causes of erectile dysfunction.

TSH, 3RD Generation
-Thyroid Stimulating Hormone tests for abnormal thyroid function. Cholesterol will go up if the thyroid function is too low.

Uric Acid, Serum
-Too much Uric Acid is indicative of gout, which is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. It can also be associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

VAP Cholesterol panel
-Like routine tests, the VAP Test measures total cholesterol, HDL ("good" cholesterol), LDL ("bad" cholesterol), and triglycerides. However, the LDL in the VAP is directly measured. In the standard lipid panel, the LDL is calculated, and is wrong 50% of the time, and up to 50% wrong. That is not good enough for Heart Attack Prevention Strategies. The VAP Test also measures cholesterol subclasses that play important roles in the development of heart disease. This additional information allows your doctor to improve the detection of heart disease risk from about 40 percent to 90 percent, and provides a foundation for patient-specific treatment plans.

Vitamin D
-Research has indicated that vitamin D may play a role in preventing or reversing coronary disease. Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk.