Advanced Lipid Particle Testing

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According to the Center for Disease Control, there are more people under age 65 who are dying from preventable heart disease and strokes than those who are older than 65 years. Once thought to be a “man’s disease”, heart attacks and strokes kill more women each year than the next four causes of death combined. 50% of heart attacks and strokes occur in patients with “normal” cholesterol levels.
 
Advanced Particle Testing:
  • Particle number and size of the particles are a more advanced method of evaluating cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
  • Small LDL particles are more easily oxidized, have a higher affinity for vessel walls, and remain 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 plasma lipoprotein consisting of a cholesterol-rich LDL particle attached to an additional apolipoprotein called apo(a). Lp(a) levels are genetically determined.

Inflammatory Markers of Heart Disease 

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Inflammation of the Arteries and Heart Disease
  • The inner lining of your arteries are damaged by things like smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and poor lifestyle habits. This damage allows cholesterol in your blood to more easily enter the walls of your arteries, leading to disease.

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Cholesterol testing provides part of the picture. Inflammation testing provides a more complete picture of YOUR RISK for heart disease.
  • Other Cardiovascular Markers
    • MTHFR (5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) Genetic Testing
      • MTHFR is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of folate. In turn, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate is involved in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine.
      • MTHFR has an important role in maintaining folate and methionine levels, as well as helping to keep circulating homocysteine levels low. MTHFR is also involved in the methylation pathway, which has multiple, wide-ranging roles in the body, including regulation of gene expression and enzymatic activities.
    • Omega Check -  measures the amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are
      • Omega-3’s and omega-6’s are required by the body for proper functioning, normal growth and the formation of neural synapses and cellular membranes.
      • Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily obtained from food sources, such as oily fish. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects, and can help to reduce triglyceride levels.
      • Omega-6 fatty acids are obtained from animal sources and plant oils, and have pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic properties at high levels.

Diabetes & Prediabetes Testing and Treatment

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Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes
Nearly all people who are overweight (over 70 percent of adult Americans) already have “pre-diabetes” and have significant risks of disease and death. Even those who are not overweight can have blood sugar problems, ex. “skinny fat” people who do not have enough muscle and have “belly fat.” Currently there are no national screening recommendations, no treatment guidelines, no approved medications, and no reimbursement to health care providers for diagnosing and treating anything other than full-blown diabetes.

Testing:
  • Glucose – snapshot of blood sugar at time of blood draw
  • HgbA1C – represents 3 months of glycemic control
  • Insulin – correlates to the efficiency with which a person can metabolize carbohydrates. High fasting insulin levels indicate insulin resistance and possible pre-diabetes