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Cardiovascular Health - Blood

Heart Disease is More Than High Cholesterol...

  • Combining cutting-edge nutritional and metabolic markers with conventional blood lipid assessments provides the most complete risk assessment available.
  • Risk assessment of cardiovascular disease must be multi-factorial over a comprehensive array of metabolic functions.
  • Many of the multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease can be reduced or eliminated with individualized integrative therapies to prevent further development of problems.

Assessing Cardiovascular Risk With Innovative New Markers

What Does the Cardio Health Profile Measure?

Lipoprotein Factors


Total Cholesterol
Elevated levels have long been associated with increased CVD risk; better evaluation with comparison to HDL.
HDL Cholesterol (direct)
Patients with high levels of HDL have been shown to be at lower risk of CVD than those with lower levels.
LDL Cholestrerol (direct)
The most atherogenic of the lipoproteins, it constitutes the majority of the cholesterol found in the serum; most accurately measured by this direct methodology.
Triglycerides
High triglyceride levels are an indisputable risk factor for CVD; increasingly shown to be responsive to the carbohydrate concentration in the body.
Lipoprotein (a)
Apolipoprotein(a) complexed with LDL. Lp(a) is associated with development of atherosclerosis similarly to LDL; strong indicator for cerebrovascular disease.


Lipoprotein Ratios


LDL/HDL Ratio
Total Chol/HDL Ratio
The higher the ratio, the greater the risk.

Chronic Inflammatory Markers


C-reactive Protein (hs)
A general marker of inflammation or infection in the vascular network. Elevated levels have been shown in individuals with mild or subclinical CVD. The high sensitivity assay (hs-CRP) used for this report can detect increases signaling the early stages of disease.

Ferritin
The best measure of iron deficiency, elevated ferritin is also an important maker of cardiovascular health. High levels are found in ischemic heart disease, iron overload, and hemo-chromatosis.

Fibrinogen
In states of tissue injury/inflammation, elevated fibrinogen is correlated with early CVD, and is a better marker of risk for a coronary event than is elevated cholesterol.

Oxidant Stress Factors


Coenzyme Q10
Critical to the generation of mitochondrial ATP, its demand by cardiac muscle is great. Numerous studies support the use of CoQ10 in congestive heart failure and other forms of CVD. Cholesterol-lowering "statin" drugs inhibit its synthesis.

Vitamin E
Well recognized for its cardioprotective antioxidant role; now thought to help prevent the oxidation of LDL. Serum determinations document deficiencies and monitor patient compliance with therapy.

Lipid Peroxides
The products of chemical damage done by oxygen free radicals to the lipid components of cell membranes. Assessment of serum lipid peroxides monitors the balance between sufficient oxygenation and oxidative stress.

Homocysteine

Many studies, including the Physicians’ Heart Study, have demonstrated the association between elevated homocysteine levels and CVD. Responds to doses of B6, B12, and folate.

Other Important Indicators


RBC Magnesium
Magnesium plays many vital roles in preventing CVD, controlling blood pressure, and improving HDL levels. RBC magnesium is the most precise way to assess intracellular magnesium status, and has been show to be inversely related with hypertension. Mg supplementation may be a healthier alternative to calcium channel blockers.

Insulin
Insulin insensitivity and the ensuing Syndrome X condition is now recognized as a major contributing factor to the development and progression of CVD. Fasting insulin is a good predictor of this problem which can be improved with dietary changes and exercise.

Total Testosterone
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin
Free Androgen Index
Calculation of the free androgen index from total testosterone and SHGB gives a very accurate approximation of free testosterone. The free androgen index is increasingly recognized as a critically important factor linked with almost every major aspect of heart disease in both men and women. Normalization of testosterone levels improves cardiac function and many known CVD risk factors, as well as improving functional capacity and reducing indicators of ischemia.

 

Men and women from all walks of life can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by taking steps to improve modifiable risk factors.

 

Why use the Metametrix Cardiovascular Health Profile*?

  • Combination of conventional and innovative markers to evaluate risk for cardiovascular disease
  • The most comprehensive evaluation available…goes beyond blood lipid markers to include markers of nutrition, oxidative damage, inflammation, and hormone imbalances
  • Offers customizable options for treatment based on each patient’s risk profile

*Some analytes may not be reported in New York profiles. Please see Clinician Info and CPT codes for details

Clinician Info
Test name: 0161 - Cardiovascular Health Profile
0361 - Cardiovascular Health Profile NY
Description: The Metametrix Cardiovascular Health Profile is unique because it combines both traditional and cutting-edge indicators of cardiovascular health. The Cardiovascular Health Profile analyzes risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including such parameters as cholesterol, lipoproteins, triglycerides, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, lipid peroxides, vitamin E, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, insulin, total testosterone, free androgen index, sex hormone binding globulin, and ferritin. Abnormal levels of these analytes often can be corrected with nutritional intervention.
Method: Spectrophotometry, Chemiluminescence, HPLC, ICP/MS
Turnaround time: 10-14 days, 12 days average
Analytes: LIPOPROTEIN FACTORS
Total cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
Direct LDL
Triglycerides
Lipoprotein(a)


CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY MARKERS
Ferritin
Fibrinogen*
c-Reactive protein (HS)


OXIDANT STRESS FACTORS
Coenzyme Q10
Vitamin E
Lipid peroxides
Homocysteine


OTHER IMPORTANT INDICATORS
RBC magnesium
Insulin
Testosterone
Sex hormone binding globulin
Free androgen index (calc)


*Not included in profiles ordered in NY.
CPT codes:

82465 - Total cholesterol
83718 - HDL cholesterol
83721 - Direct LDL
84478 - Triglycerides
83695 - Lipoprotein(a)
83090 - Homocysteine
86141 - C-reactive protein
85385 - Fibrinogen*
83735 - Magnesium (RBC)
82491 - Coenzyme Q10
84446 - Vitamin E
82491 - Lipid peroxides
84270 - Sex hormone binding globulin
84403 - Testosterone, total
-------- - Free androgen index (calculation)
83525 - Insulin
82728 - Ferritin
 
* Not reported in NY profile
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Cardiovascular References
 

A Triglyceride/High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio >/=3.5 Is Associated With
an Increased Burden of Coronary Artery Disease on Cardiac Catheterization.

Ostfeld R, Mookherjee D, Spinelli M, Holtzman D, Shoyeb A, Schaefer M, Doddamani S,
Spevack D, Du Y. J Cardiometab Syndr. 2006 Winter;1(1):13-15.

Relation of plasma lipoprotein levels with low-grade inflammation in white men without clinical evidence of myocardial ischemia.
Rivera JJ, Nasir K, Campbell C, Carvalho JA, Blumenthal RS, Santos RD. Am J Cardiol. 2007 Aug 1;100(3):450-4. Epub 2007 Jun

Correlates of plasma fibrinogen (FG) levels in a random sample of community-dwelling elderly.
Kostka T, Para J, Kostka B. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2007 May 25

Lipoprotein (a) and Venous Thromboembolism in Adults: A Meta-Analysis.
Sofi F, Marcucci R, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Prisco D. Am J Med. 2007 Aug;120(8):728-33.

Oral magnesium therapy, exercise heart rate, exercise tolerance, and myocardial function in coronary artery disease patients.
Pokan R, Hofmann P, von Duvillard SP, Smekal G, Wonisch M, Lettner K, Schmid P,
Shechter M, Silver B, Bachl N. Br J Sports Med. 2006 Sep;40(9):773-8. Epub 2006 Jul 6.

The relationship between testosterone levels, the metabolic syndrome (by two criteria),
and insulin resistance in a population of men with organic erectile dysfunction.

Guay A, Jacobson J. J Sex Med. 2007 Jul;4(4 Pt 1):1046-55.

Endogenous testosterone and serum lipids in middle-aged men.
Mäkinen JI, Perheentupa A, Irjala K, Pöllänen P, Mäkinen J, Huhtaniemi I, Raitakari OT. Atherosclerosis. 2007 Jun 21;

Low serum testosterone in men is inversely associated with non-fasting serum triglycerides: The Tromsø study.
Agledahl I, Skjærpe PA, Hansen JB, Svartberg J. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2007 Jun 7

Vitamin E: inflammation and atherosclerosis.
Singh U, Devaraj S. Vitam Horm. 2007;76:519-49.

Tocotrienols: the emerging face of natural vitamin E
Sen CK, Khanna S, Rink C, Roy S.