The New Cholesterol Test

I KNOW MY CHOLESTEROL LEVEL, ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?

Actually, no! Studies show that HALF the people who had heart attacks had NORMAL
cholesterol levels (1). You see, cholesterol is carried by particles or containers in the blood
called lipoproteins. If you have too many of these particles they can build up in your arteries
and cause heart disease.

The higher the number of lipoprotein particles in your blood, the greater the risk you have for
developing Coronary Heart Disease.

The NMR LipoProfile® test measures your risk for heart disease more accurately
than a standard cholesterol test.

Since cholesterol is carried inside lipoprotein particles, it is helpful to think of cholesterol as a passenger and the lipoprotein particle as a vehicle. It’s not the number of passengers that
causes a traffic jam... it’s the number of vehicles! Similarly, it’s not the amount of cholesterol that causes heart disease - it’s the number of lipoprotein particles!

Only the NMR Lipoprofile® test actually counts the number of lipoprotein particles.

In the example below, two patients have the same cholesterol levels (same number of passengers on the road) but have different numbers of particles (cars on the road). Patient A's passengers are carpooling and riding buses, while Patient B's passengers are each driving their own car. Patient B is at higher risk for Coronary Heart Disease because they have more cars on the road, thus causing a "traffic jam" in their arteries...just like many cars can "clog" the road, many particles can cause clogged arteries.

Patient A
LESS RISK FOR HEART DISEASE:
Less Particles
Less Traffic
Same Cholesterol Levels (same number of passengers as Patient B)

Patient B
MORE RISK FOR HEART DISEASE:
More Particles
More Traffic
Same Cholesterol Levels (same number of passengers as Patient A)

A standard cholesterol test does not provide information on the nubmer of particles, but the NMR LipoProfile test does. That is why it is a superior test.

References:
1. Kannel, WB. Am J Cardiol 1995;69C-77C.


Let's compare the standard cholesterol test with the NMR LipoProfile test. The following explains what each of the two tests measures, and the patient goals for each test.

Test 1) Understanding the Standard Cholesterol Test:

A lipid panel is a standard cholesterol test. It is made up of four values: LDL-C (“bad” cholesterol), HDL-C (“good” cholesterol), triglycerides and total cholesterol.

The following are the goals for LDL-C:

160 = GOAL FOR LOW RISK PATIENTS
130 = GOAL FOR MODERATELY HIGH RISK PATIENTS
100 = GOAL FOR HIGH RISK PATIENTS

(standard units of measure for cholesterol numbers are expressed in mg/dL)


Test 2) Understanding Your NMR LipoProfile® Test - Understanding your LDL Particle Numbers:

Your LDL Particle number, called LDL-P number, is the most important value of the NMR LipoProfile report. The lower this number is, the less risk you face. Your LDL-P number can range from less than 1000 to more than 2000 nmol/L. Based on this number and your medical history, your doctor can advise you on a treatment plan designed to reduce your score to a low-risk level.

The following are the goals for LDL-P:

1600 = GOAL FOR LOW RISK PATIENTS
1300 = GOAL FOR MODERATELY HIGH RISK PATIENTS
1000 = GOAL FOR HIGH RISK PATIENTS

(standard units of measure for NMR cholesterol is expressed in nmol/L)

Final Assessment

Your risk level for heart disease is the number that is HIGHER (LDL-P or LDL-C) and should determine your overall risk.

The results of your test provide information about your heart health that you and your clinician can use to make more informed decisions about your risk for heart disease.

Be sure - because it is treatable. Get your NMR LipoProfile test today!

To purchase a NMR LipoProfile test simply order online at LabSafe at http://www.labsafe.com/lab-tests/test/532/ or visit our website at www.LabSafe.com

For more information, or to speak with a member of our professional Medical Staff, call LabSafe toll free at 1-888-333-LABS.