Blood tests to assess heart disease risk

Blood tests are used to test for a range of different health conditions; however, they can also be used to assess the risk of an individual developing a health condition. Some blood tests are used to assess whether patients are at risk of developing heart problems; these are known as blood test to assess heart disease risk and include the following tests:

Lipoprotein panel

The lipoprotein panel is used to assess whether a patient is at risk of developing coronary heart disease; the test is also known as the lipid profile.

The lipoprotein profile tests for:

• Total cholesterol
• LDL levels (low density lipoprotein)- this is commonly known as ‘bad’ cholesterol
• HDL levels (high density lipoprotein)- this is commonly known as ‘good’ cholesterol
• Triglyceride levels
• When is the test used?

The lipoprotein panel is commonly used to assess whether a patient has a high risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. Patients with certain risk factors may be advised to have a test done, even if they are not displaying any symptoms (often people with high blood pressure do not have any symptoms and this can be a major contributor to heart disease and strokes); risk factors include:

• Family history
• Obesity
• Smoking and heavy drinking
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Age (the risk increase as you get older)
• Kidney disease
• High cholesterol

Tests may also be used to monitor the effects of lifestyle changes and medication if a person has had a positive result in the past and has started a course of treatment. Routine screening tests may be performed on children and young people with family history or associated risk factors but tests will not normally be carried out on healthy young people.

How is the test performed?

The lipoprotein panel test is done by collecting a sample of blood from a vein in the arm; a needle is inserted into a vein in the arm (on the inside of the elbow usually) and the blood sample is collected in a syringe. Once the sample has been collected, it will be put in a bottle, labelled and sent to the laboratory for analysis.

Some people may also be advised to have a finger prick test, which involves testing a sample of blood taken from the tip of the finger; this is usually done as a routine measure at general health checks and is also used at health events (such as health fairs in town centres) where mobile machinery is used.

It is usually necessary to fast for a period of time before the test is carried out; your doctor will advise you about this hen you arrange the test.

What do the results mean?

Values that are significantly higher or lower than the average may indicate health problems; here are the guidelines for interpreting results:

Total cholesterol

• Normal: less than 200 mg/dl
• Borderline high: 200-239 mg/dl
• High: 240 mg/dl or higher

LDL cholesterol

• Optimal: less than 100mg/dl
• Just above optimal: 100-129 mg/dl
• Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dl
• High: 160-189 mg/dl
• Very high: higher than 190 mg/dl

HDL cholesterol

• Low (increased risk of heart disease): less than 40mg/dl for males and less than 50 mg/dl for females
• Average: 40-50mg/dl for males, 50-59mg/dl for females
• High: higher than 60mg/dl for both males and females

Triglycerides

• Normal: less than 150 mg/dl
• Borderline high: 150-199 mg/dl
• High: 200-499 mg/dl
• Very high: higher than 500 mg/dl

The results of the test will be used to determine whether or not treatment is necessary; in many cases, making changes to your lifestyle, for example eating health foods, stopping smoking and taking up regular exercise, will make a significant difference to your risk of developing heart disease; however, in more serious cases, medication may be required.

High- sensitivity c-reactive protein

The high-sensitivity c-reactive protein test is usually carried out to assess whether an individual is at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. C-reactive protein is made by the liver and secreted into the bloodstream; higher levels of C-reactive protein may indicate an infection, inflammation or a heart attack.

How is the test performed?

The test is performed by collecting a sample of blood from a vein in the arm; a needle is inserted into a vein in the arm and the blood is drawn out and collected in a syringe. Once the sample has been collected, it will be bottled and labelled and then sent to the laboratory so that it can be analysed. It is usually necessary to fast for a period of time before the test; your doctor will talk you about this when you arrange the test.

What do the results mean?

High levels of CRP indicate higher risk of cardiovascular disease; those in the high end of the scale are between 1.5 and 4 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. These are the values used to determine risk of heart disease:

• Low risk: less than 1.0 mg/dl
• Average risk: 1.0 to 3.0 mg/dl
• High risk: higher than 3.0 mg/dl

The test can only give accurate results on an individual in a healthy state, as injuries and illnesses can cause the levels of CRP to increase and this may give a false result.

Homocysteine

Homocysteine is an amino acid, which is present in all cells in the body (in very small quantities). Excess homocysteine may indicate a higher risk of atherosclerosis (this is when fatty deposits build up on the inside of the arteries), which contributes to cardiovascular disease and strokes.

When is the test used?

This test is used to test for vitamin B12 and folate deficiency as well as being used to assess risk of cardiovascular disease. This test is usually recommended for those who have a family history of heart disease but don’t display any symptoms or have any of the other risk factors for heart disease.

How is the test performed?

The test is performed using a blood sample, which is collected from a vein in the arm. The sample is collected using a needle and a syringe; once the sample has been collected, it will be put in a bottle, labelled and then sent to the laboratory for testing. It may be necessary to fast for a period of time before the test is carried out.

What do the results mean?

High levels of homocysteine may indicate a higher risk of heart disease and strokes.

Blood Test Types

• Types of blood tests
• Full Blood Count
• Blood chemistry tests / Basic metabolic panel
• Blood enzyme tests
• Blood tests to assess heart disease risk